Just A Shadow In the World
by iceytina
Summary: Eggman has a new plan and a minion, Metal Arnus, who's job is to bring back Shadow! Amy falls in love with Shadow and the lost Echidna city is uncovered! And there's an eighth Chaos Emerald? [COMPLETE]
1. Chapter One: Betrayel

**AUTHOR'S NOTE(s):** This is a totally fictional story that has no ties to the main plot concerning SHADOW or anyone else-a story in the time period after the victory of the Metal Overlord. This mini book is all about Shadow and his struggles with who he is, his past, true love, and freedom. From reading other fan fiction and never being satisfied, I decided to create my own short Revelation. Do not think of this as a series. It is not.

In this story, I will be using songs along the way-background music-and you will know what they are for I will insert them randomly in brackets (if will allow brackets). Music helps me write from my heart and so the songs I listen to I will include.

Lastly, please bare with me as I WILL be going back, editing parts, perhaps changing small facts that are incorrect to correct them. This is how I write. I am trying to write professionally-and this story may, and most likely will be slow since I am writing a book that I hope will be published. Wish me luck!

This is an outline of the chapters for my benefit! I like to list all my chapters; it helps me organize my stories a lot better! (And remember what the cursed titles were for each chapter!)

CHAPTER ONE: Metal Arnus

CHAPTER TWO: Pink Polka Dots?

CHAPTER THREE: New Life, Old Memories

CHAPTER FOUR: Captured by Evil

CHAPTER FIVE: Knowing Love

CHAPTER SIX: That Faker

CHAPTER SEVEN: Maria

CHAPTER EIGHT: Reasons

CHAPTER NINE: Loved Once Again

CHAPTEN TEN: Putting it All Away

CHAPTER ELEVEN: Needed, Wanted, Loved

-

Sonic, Shadow, etc- none of it belongs to me. They belong to SEGA. Remember that well.

-

**STORY TITLE: Just A Shadow In the World**

-

CHAPTER ONE: Metal arnus

**-Jars of Clay – Beautiful-**

As if the light would never shine, as if nothing had existence, as if nothing mattered, the silky hedgehog ran through the darkness. Faster than the rushing waters, he would be a scream louder than the raging waterfalls if only the motion of his running could speak. But not a word did he utter. He ran through the densely-packed city streets of Metropolis, through the rural country sides where neither pollution nor waste could reach, and across the parched deserts where the blue hedgehog had once trod.

None of it mattered to him. All he knew was that his existence was a lie. He had been created for destruction, that was his life definition, and he had even failed with that. What was he if not machine or organic? Just some freak mix that had no real purpose left to live? No one wanted him and no one needed him-they all had made sure to show him that.

His eyes watered at the thought of having no purpose, but he forced his weary body to keep moving. Nothing mattered anymore. No one mattered to him because they rejected him. He was nothing. Nothing. All those people he thought he could trust-they had lied to him, putting on fake smiles for him, acting as though they cared. They didn't. Sonic didn't care. Tails didn't care. Knuckles, Rouge, Espio, Charmy, Vector, Big, Cream, Omega, Amy Rose. None of them cared for him so it was better that he just disappear. They would all wake up the next morning, but he wouldn't be there.

But if only he could remember more of them, the revenge of leaving would be sweeter. He could only remember Sonic from their last adventure together against the Metal Overlord-Rouge and Omega from that as well. But the others… Tails, Big, Cream, Knuckles, the Detectives, Antoine he also had never known of them up until the last few months. What people said, though, told him otherwise of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy. If only he could remember what other trials they all had been through together.

Shadow finally came to a slow stop under a large tree. What was this satisfying anger he felt? He knew as he fell beneath a large shrubbery, exhausted from his run, what it was: the anger of rejection. Nothing could help his devastation. The anger, sadness, rejection... Always rejected. People had always said to look to the heart in a person, don't judge their appearances, because the heart is who you truly are, not what you look like. He had a heart, didn't he? Sure, when people meant heart, they were referring more emotionally than realistically. But still, after all the destruction, all the mistrust and evil, did he have any good will left?

Life had been pretty quiet after the last fight against the Metal Overlord. Shadow had been invited by Sonic to join their team-the Freedom Fighters-along with those three detectives Charmy, Espio, and Vector. Strange life it had been. Sonic seemed to know nothing that was complex; he didn't know the definition of important or the meaning behind necessity. The spoiled teen would run whenever, wherever he wanted, just when he had the knack. Tails was a strange, but very interesting companion to have. Even Shadow, with his engineering mind, was asking him for the answers to technical questions. Day in and day out, Tails would work on strange projects at his lab located in the Mystical Ruins or read books. Knuckles spent his whole life on the Angel Island doing nothing but guarding the Master Emerald. Shadow didn't care much for Knuckles. The guy was paranoid and annoying. Asked too many questions, cautioned against too many circumstances. As for Rouge: he didn't see her around much. They all knew she was a treasure hunter, but above that, an FBI agent, working on crimes and being paid in substantial amounts of jewels. Strange girl.

Shadow shook the memories away. No good would come of them but destruction and jealousy. So what if they didn't love him, he never needed anyone's love or wanted it. The words laughed his to scorn as he curled up underneath one of the bushy ferns for the night. Even as he lay, his eyes burned with tears of sadness. _I just... I just need some healing. Something. Maria… _Shadow drifted off into a blissful sleep of sad dreams and memories.

-

The next morning, Shadow awoke. Eyes watering, he gasped as he bolted from the ground. He was crying. He had never cried. "I don't understand." Shadow mumbled, clutching the side of his throbbing head, "This is ludicrous. Simply ludicrous. Maria, why did you have to die? Why did you have to leave me all alone on this huge planet? I don't understand. How could you be so selfish?" Tears streamed down his face. His head ached terribly. "You were the only one who saw the inside of me and truly loved me for me. If you had survived… No... I-I'm so confused." The throbbing increased a measure, sending Shadow to the ground. "Why am I forgetting you, Maria? What would you have me to do? What would you say to my situation right now? This is so pitifully small compared to everything else I've done and gone though, but it's towering before me. I need you."

By this hour and the height of the sun in the sky, Shadow calculated that it must be midmorning and he was hungry. This strange jungle should provide him with all the necessary nutrients he would need though, accept for an aspirin for this distressing headache. Besides, he needed to think about something other than Maria.

So Shadow forced himself from the mossy jungle ground to look around. The shrubbery-ferns and such jungle plants-were packed in thick matches so that barely any paths could be found. Large palm trees flapped lazily in the breeze. Shadow rubbed his gloved hands in anticipation then whacked the nearby palm tree with shattering force. The trunk split, the tree fell, and coconuts scattered all over the floor. Shadow hadn't realized how hungry he was till he had devoured two coconuts and was on the third. Refreshing was the milk and crisply tasty was the inner sides of the coconut.

Strange thoughts swarmed through as he ate. Such frivolous things as how long it takes for coconuts to ripen, why Maria was sent to live on the Ark her whole life, and why his "friends" had wanted him to live with him. Odd, he licked his un-gloved fingers, and then slid the gloves back on. "You never did want revenge, did you, Maria? Your nature was too sweet, to loving for that. Gerald must have changed my memories to make me believe that's what you wanted." His voice was calm, collected, but curious. "But if all those memories were fake, then who am I and what am I here for? I don't know where to go now."

What Rouge had shoved in his face suddenly arose from within: _"Do you really think you're the real Ultimate Life form?"_ He was, wasn't he? Because, if not, then who was? There were still so many things he didn't remember-so many people and incidents. His leaving was due to one of the many factors being how everyone had kept asking him if he remembered this or remembered that. He hadn't and so that awful bitter sadness of being left out just ate at his soul until he couldn't stand them-could stand anything to do with them.

Well, Shadow knew he should go somewhere, start over as some people would say, but the thought seemed so strange to him. He had never had an occupation in his lifetime other than being the brother to Maria. What was it like to work every day and have a real life? He just couldn't do it alone.

"What was that?" Shadow paused, Chaos Emerald in hand, listening carefully to for the slight crunching of leaves he had just heard. Nothing, not even a bird chirping. It was definitely too quiet, but Shadow was to reserved and experienced to fear the silence. Two minutes passed. He was still frozen, convinced that something was out there and that it was something more harmful than any jungle animal. "Come out!" He challenged to the emptiness.

"If you wish so." A robotic creature hovered out into the light for Shadow to analyze.

"What are you? Certainly not Metal Sonic."

"No. Not Metal Sonic. That weak robot is no more." The robot's expression was sassy, confident, and it agitated Shadow more than he would show.

"What are you saying?" Shadow questioned, his voice cool and serious, "What has become of him?"

"He is no more and that is all I will tell you. My name is Metal Arnus. I am the latest creation of Dr. Eggman Robotnik. My mission is to track down Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Life form, and bring him back, alive, to Eggman's secret base."  
"Oh, I see. You appear to be an interesting machine," Shadow skated slowly around the hovering robot with it's sleek, dark red painting and glowing yellow eyes, and then paused, wondering what to do, though not a hint frightened.

"I take it you eliminated Metal Sonic?"

"Forever." Was the emotionless response.

"Interesting. But tell me, how do you expect to defeat me? Do you truly think you can defeat me?"

"Affirmative."

"Then you are one pathetic, foolish creation. I pity you!" Jumping back, Shadow gripped the hidden Chaos Emerald fiercely. Though before he escaped, he needed to pry some more information from the low-IQd machine. "What does Eggman possibly think he would ever do to me if he were to catch me?"

"This information I know not, nor would I reveal it if I did. Enough talk!" A net sprung from the Arnus's arm, shooting out as rapid fire, but Shadow was faster.

He tossed the emerald to the sky, shouting, "Chaos Control!" The flashing white Emerald fell back to Shadow, who snatched it faster than the blinking of an eye, and in bright flashing rings, vanished, transporting to a safe location far from where Metal Arnus stood now raging.

"Metal Arnus to Eggman." He radioed in, "Shadow has fled. He has used Chaos Control and I know not where he is. Requests for new location."

"What! You LOST him?" The raging Robotnik screeched through the other line in one of his common, childish fits, "What kind of great and powerful machine are you to have lost him? I built you to be better than him but you're just a stupid machine like Metal Sonic was! If you don't capture Shadow and bring him back, I will have you DISMANTLED!"

Arnus rolled his eyes, "New location of Ultimate Life form?" He repeated monotonously. Eggman always was like this when he didn't get his bratty way.

"Yes," Eggman croaked on the other line as he usually did, "The current location of Shadow is Metrapolis. Go, find him, my computer states he is currently running along the ground highways through Old Metropolis."

"Roger, Master." With the shutting off of the radio, Arnus as well disappeared in a blink of a light after his prey. He wouldn't fail Eggman.


	2. Chapter Two: Pink Polka Dots?

Sonic, Shadow, etc- none of it belongs to me. They belong to SEGA. Remember that well.

-

**STORY TITLE: Just A Shadow In the World**

-

CHAPTER TWO: Pink Polka Dots?

**-Jump5 – You Are In My Heart-**

Early one spring morning in the urban city of Metropolis, literally meaning urban in itself, a pink head appeared from behind a brick wall. It was early in the morning, with a hazy fog hanging near the city ground, cold winds blowing past her hair, early risers walking through the empty streets. At times like these, with scarce sounds to perk one's ears, everything sounded twice as loud as before, every light, three times brighter than it truly was. What Amy Rose was wondering this cloudless morning was if the water would be warm enough to swim in? After all, spring was almost over and the weather had been unnaturally warm, around the 80s most of the spring!

"It seems warm enough," She stepped out on the porch, pink polka dotted jeans on and a red, sparkling shirt as her wardrobe, "But the weather sure changes too much for my liking. Cursed weather. But perhaps… I'll call Violet and Jack just to make sure!" She rushed back through the contemporary house, through the hall, and into the kitchen where a transparent, pink phone awaited her. The house had three bedrooms, a large kitchen, spacious dining room, full bath, and a small living room. Amy had decorated it with the trendiest designs of large vases springing with fake flowers, light pink walls, rich red carpet, and small roses stamped on the walls.

"Yo, Vi?" She tossed the phone to her left ear, "We still goin' to the beach today?"

"Totally, gal!" Violet responded through her pure British accent, "I wouldn't miss it for the world! I'll call Jack for ya' to make sure. Even if it was raining and thundering, I'd still go! There's so zip to do in this borin' city!"

"Alright-great! I'll pack m'stuff and meet you at your house in twenty minutes, ok?"

"Sure thing, Am's, bye!"

Amy hung up the phone as happy as ever. "Yay! This is going to be so much fun!" She ran into her room to gather up the needed items. "My friends have friends who have friends and that means I'll meet a bunch of new people today! Too bad I don't have as many friends these days." Reminiscing, her girlish face turned downcast. Sonic came to her memory, then Tails and Knuckles. They had been so close, she and Sonic. How she had adored everything about him, even when he was wrong-which never happened. Tails and she had played together so many times and Knuckles had been there as a sort of big brother who scolded her for her wrongs and foolish ideas. But things were different now. She was mature now, she had a life, and she had new, true friends. Sonic was a jerk and she had put him behind her, never to love him again, for that had been a mistake.

"Why does it still hurt when I think about that brat?" She hissed as she shoved sun lotion and other beach items relentlessly into her duffle bag. "Just a worthless, selfish brat. He chose Sally over me so that's just it." Ever since that event, Amy had left Knothole and left her old friends and life behind. She moved to Metropolis for good where she purchased a nice apartment and found a job. With her new life, she found the British cat, Violet, and the jolly squirrel, Jack, who was a major heart-throbber. But, with her new life also came a sense of new responsibility and maturity which couldn't be squalled. What Amy wanted wasn't another silly, school-girl crush on a cutie, but a true man who would love her for her heart. So far, that special someone hadn't come into her life.

**-True Vibe – What Do We Wish On Now-**

Grabbing her stuff, Amy swung into her pink convertible, blasting music, and drove off down the street. That someone would come she knew, but not fast enough in her opinion, for, although she was young, she wanted love as long as her life would last and every minute that passed shortened that time. A tear slid down her cheek.

Something flashing white suddenly appeared in front of her car! It formulated into a hedgehog! "Get out of the way you stupid loser!" Amy screamed hysterically, desperately trying to dodge the unfortunate pedestrian, "Ah-noo!" To no avail, the car hit the person from the back and knocked him senseless. "Oh my gosh!" She rushed from the car to figure on the ground, motionless. "Sh-Shadow!" Her words failed her miserably at the sight of him-the pitiful, bloody sight of his unconscious body. "Someone help me get this guy to my car so I can take him to the hospital! I just hit this guy!" A polite hedgehog hastened to her aid and the both of them tenderly laid Shadow in the backseat. Looking back at the road, a white object caught her eye. "What's this? A Chaos Emerald!" Amy gasped from the glittering emerald lying on the pavement. She snatched it up, hiding it in the flaps of her large duffle bag, thanked the stranger, and drove away, all the while wondering if this was really Shadow and why was he here?

Amy stole a peak at him… Shadow… He was unconscious. Blood was streaming down the side of his face. She must have hit him very hard, which made her feel even worse. Shadow had personally never done anything against or to hurt her, but she always seemed to manage hurting someone-if not emotionally then physically. But he appeared so pitiful lying there, leaking blood on her velvet seating, staining her expensive car. She didn't care. His life was more important than any 25,000 car and she would do something right for once.

"Yo, Vi? I can't come to the beach today. Some… issues have arisen that are very important. You go though. I might be able to make it later this afternoon if the events that I have do go ok, alright? I'm sorry I can't explain, this is a personal problem_." Ya, talk about personal_. The track phone rustled in her bag as Amy shoved the bag down beside her. Violet would be so disappointed but Amy couldn't help the situation. This was her fault and she was going to fix it.

She looked back at Shadow again; hoping-wishing-that he would wake up. _He'll survive_, she told herself, _he has to. He's the Ultimate Lift Form. I mean, how lame is that if he dies from this accident? He and Sonic fought together against the Bio Lizard and then they both won against the Metal Overlord. I have faith he'll survive. _Her words stunned her. Never had she looked at Shadow as more than Sonic's enemy, thus her enemy. But that was different now: Sonic and she weren't a "thing" anymore, so Shadow wasn't her foe anymore either. What did she see in Shadow now that she had a choice besides that small void she had once lived in, the void where Sonic was everything and there was nothing else worth living for? _Oh, Shadow, I could have been your friend. I could have given you the love Maria once gave you if only I could have seen outside my selfish infatuation. Can you forgive me for betraying you? If you survive through this, I promise to take care of you!_

-

"What are 'ya sayin'?

"He's gone!"

"What? I can't believe this-why'd he go?"

"Perhaps that's not such a mystery as you think, Sonic."

"Knux," Sonic's fist was balled angrily, "How could he have possibly known?"

"Remember: Shadow has the power to use the Chaos Emeralds or… perhaps…"

"What? What?" Sonic bolted from the ground at Knuckles. He grabbed the Echidna around the throat harshly.

"Whoa! Get your hands off of me!"

"Sorry."

Knuckles rubbed his throbbing neck, "All I was going to say is that perhaps there's more to Shadow than what we know he can do. He might have had the ability to talk to the Master Emerald like I do and it could have told him what our plans were."

"Y'know how stupid that sounds?"

"Ya, ya, but Amy left for the same reason I think Shadow left."

"Don't mention her to me… You know I still miss her. Besides, Shadow left because he knew we were going to split him open and rip some chip from his head. Amy left because I became engaged to Sally and she couldn't stand it."

"Of course you do, but I don't understand why you're so upset about this. I don't agree with what you were plannin' to do-dumpin' him an all."

"Aww, Sal, I know what I wanted to do was totally wrong, and I woulda' missed him too."

"Would that have made you still leave him behind?"

Sonic pulled Sally into his lap. They snuggled for a moment, then Sonic sighed into her hair, "Yes, it would have."

"But that's so wrong, sweetie. I can't respect your decision with this. I'm glad Shadow found out and left. It's better for you, better for us… but what about him? He had worked so hard at being accepted, why couldn't you just help him?"

"Helpin' people is a hard thing to do. It's just not my thing to help 'em in that way. Sure, I save the world, but that's not a one-on-one personal thing-ya' know?"

"No, I don't." Sally left his lap slowly and stood over beside Knuckles, who was currently polishing his brass set of picks, the silver, gold, and steel ones already shining like the sun. "It's hard to tell ya', Sonic, but you need to mature when it comes to personal issues. You can't run from them like you run from so many other things. Shadow needed-needs-us and you let him down."

"Hey, I didn't mean to…"

"We need to go find him now before he starts causing trouble. I'm going to call Bunnie and Antoine, k?"

"Cool." The blue hedgehog nodded.

"Knuckles? Can you go find Tails, Cream, and Big? We're going to need them to find Shadow and that last Chaos Emerald." Sally stopped with her cell phone in hand, obviously in deep thought. If she were Shadow, where would she go? What would she do? Nothing made much sense when it came to Shadow, he was such a complex creature, so confused, almost like a little child at times. _If I found out that I was going to be forced into a deep sleep against my will to remove a chip that could destroy who I was and then be left all alone, what would I do? Heh, I'm not Shadow, and trying to think like him is so confusing, I just can't do it... All I know is that I would confront the situation by force… Shadow obviously didn't think he could do that._

"Sally? Two pennies for your thoughts?"

"No, I have to call Bunnie."

"How about a pound?"

"Don't think so." The cell phone popped open.

"A sack of gold?"

"Sonic, why don't you go find Rouge for me? I forgot to mention her. We'll need her tracking abilities to find that last Chaos Emerald. I have a feeling that wherever that jewel is, that's where Shadow is.

"Awww, sheesh, must I?"

"Now, now, my super-duper cute hog," She approached with the soothing voice of a harp, rubbing his chin softly, leaning very close to his face, "Will you do this for me? I would appreciate it, baby."

"Do I get a kiss?" Sonic leaned closer, "I really need one to make my day."

"Why not? Just not too many before the wedding." They exchanged a passionate kiss for a minute then Sonic jumped up, refreshed, and whizzed off in the dust. Sally smirked, dialed a number, and cradled the phone under her chin. "Yo, Bunnie?

"Ah! Sal! How are ya'? Bunnie exclaimed in her southern accent, "What's up?"

"We need you right way. Shadow found out that Sonic was planning to capture him and remove that backup programming chip. He ran away with one of the Chaos Emeralds and we can't find him! We need you to help us with our search. Meet us in Knothole in ten minutes, ok?"

"Right thing, sugah! Bunnie out." The phone went dead. Sally pocketed the small phone and ran off towards Knothole anxiously. She couldn't deny the empty void in her life without Shadow. He was more than a friend to her. She couldn't deny the brotherly closeness she had felt around him. They all did everything together from darts to saving the world and now he was gone. What was she going to do if she never heard the silky deepness of his soothing voice or couldn't hug him anymore? He had come so far since they first invited him into their circle. At first, his withdrawn nature had sent shivers up her spine but he slowly revealed his heart to Sally, as well as the rest of the Freedom Fighters, and they had won over his trust and confidence. Was all this just to happen to lose him all over again? She increased her speed as the hot tears sprinkled across her face. They would find him and they would do it before time ran out.

-

Metal Arnus navigated perfectly through the jammed streets of Casinopolis with ease. It was 3PM and the traffic was backed up in the city of gamblers; people were constantly honking, screaming, beating each other up, but he didn't care. His objective was to find Shadow the Hedgehog and he would finish his mission no matter what. Eggman had ordered him to bring that troublesome creature back alive, but the doctor didn't say unhurt, did he?

Arnus counted the energy-seeking missiles stacked neatly on his arms, smirked, then checked his energy gage. Full power, ten energy-seeking missiles, as well as a whole range of other abilities: yes, Eggman had created him a far superior to that weak Metal Sonic and it was justified that he had done away with the pathetic machine. Only the strong deserved to survive.

"Dr. I am exiting Casinopolis. I will enter Metropolis within the next hour. Arnus out." His legs changed from feet to huge rocket boosters that blasted full speed from jet fuel. Arms extending and warping into huge metallic wings, the metal hedgehog took off to the skies well over 400 miles per hour. "I will find Shadow and take him back. He will not escape!"

-

Amy Rose felt her legs were about to give out underneath her. Her nerves kept jumping. She was bored, anxious, feeling guilty, and hungry. Not to mention she had been sitting in the hospital lobby for over an hour waiting for any news of Shadow. The doctors had rushed him into one of the back rooms to stitch him up and whatever else needed to be done. Of course, she would be the responsible one to pay for his treatment, but it wasn't that she hadn't made up her mind not to pay-she wouldn't have it any other way. She owed Shadow anything he wanted. How her heart pounded thinking about him lying on some bed in pain.

"Miss Rose?" A doctor appeared from within the unknown double doors that only the staff is allowed to pass through. He was a tall, thin man with spiky yellow hair and blue eyes.

"Yes? I'm here. What's the progress?" She soothed her shirt to keep her nerves at a containable level.

"He's doing fine. We had to stitch the side of his head but that's about it aside from the blood he lost. He'll survive. In fact, he's conscious at the moment. Would you like to go see him?"

"If I may." Amy gulped.

"Should we mail the bill to you or give it to you right now?"

"I prefer having it with me now, thank you." She spoke calmly as the paper receipt was passed down to her. The doctor opened the door to her and followed by her side.

"I'm actually surprised at his fast recovery. Most patients aren't doing as well after being knocked by a fast-driving car and only needing stitches! I thought he surely would have had a concussion at the least. This is very strange."

_Not for the Ultimate Lifeform._ "Well, it's a good thing he only needed stitches. Shadow and I actually know each other. He wasn't just some stranger that happened to be standing in the road." She left out the facts of the light.

"Really? That's good. That means he probably won't sue you or anything of that sort. Here we are. I'll wait outside the door while you go in. You are allowed to visit him two times a day and not past five."

"Thank you." Amy slid her fingers across the door in nervous contemplation. She desperately hoped Shadow wouldn't be vexed with her as she inhaled and slowly pushed the heavy white door open. A sink sat at the right side of the spacey room on a high counter with a computer against the wall on the same counter. A scale stood directly opposite of the counter to the right of the room, some magazines on a vertical rack, and a few pieces of equipment. Amy soaked in the whole room before she finally dared to meet the sight of Shadow propped up against the bed. His arms were folded. He was staring at her rather blankly.

**-Toby Mac – Gone-**

"Oh, aha, Shadow. Hi." She quickly closed the door, "Um, the doc said I could come see you and all that." He made no response, no shift in character, so Amy scampered to the side of the bed, almost afraid, "How are you feeling?" Still he said nothing. "Well, aha, it looks like you're not in that much pain. I'm allowed to visit you two times a day but I doubt you'll be staying here long. I mean since you're the Ultimate Lifeform and such, you'll heal really fast, right? I'm sorry for hitting you with my car-I hadn't seen you.

Perhaps I should go in to see if I need glasses. Shadow, aren't you going to say anything?" No luck. His expression was serious, not one of malicious hate or anger, just blankness. Suddenly Amy remembered something, "Ah! I forgot. I found this in the street. It must be yours but I don't know if I should give it back to you. I think it's wisest that I keep it for now." She pulled out the sparkling, white Chaos Emerald.

Shadow's expression changed from the previous blandness to that of intense interest. "Give it to me." He calmly stated with an outstretched hand, "You have no right with it."

"Um, no," Amy quivered, "You're not well and besides, I'm going to have you live with me for a while. It's the least I can do for hitting you so stupidly this morning."

"I don't want to live with you. Give me the emerald. You owe that to me, that's all."

"No! You're not having it!" She shoved it back into her duffle bag, "And you are going to live with me for at least a week! You can meet my friends and go hang out with us and stuff. Besides, what were you doing in the middle of the street? I coulda' swore you weren't there before!"

Shadow's arms folded harder. Now he was starting to become annoyed with this preppy pink hedgehog. Amy was her name? He remembered her from the fight against the Metal Overlord, but not much had he even seen of her then. The things he knew were from gossip, words from other people, people he no longer trusted. "I demand you give the emerald to me, Amy."

"I'll-I'll be back in a few hours to see if I can take you home with me. I'll be paying for your bill, so don't worry. Everything's covered." She ran for the door, but he called to her angrily. Just seeing him and hearing him call her by name had shocked her so badly that Amy knew she had to get away and go somewhere quiet.

"Pathetic creature! If you don't give me that emerald, I will take it from you!"

Turning defiantly, fear gone, Amy seethed, "Ya! Just try! I have my own life, my own job, and my own friends! I am no way defenseless! I know how to use pistols as well as my hammer so I'm not exactly stupid!" And she slammed the door, leaving Shadow with his own boiling rage.

_Without the Chaos Emerald, I can't use Chaos Control. That little brat. She will regret ever standing in my way. As soon as I get out of here, she will pay for keeping what's rightfully mine away from me._

-

The one and only Dr. Eggman Robotnik paced his office, occasionally pounding his fist into anything bendable, to take his rage out on. Shadow had disappeared into the city of Metropolis and Metal Arnus was taking longer than he had expected. Violent plans of how to disassemble the worthless hunk of metal were starting to form.

Turning, he glared at the large chamber on a pedestal of steel and iron. The chamber was six feet tall and four feet around, built of unbreakable plastics and aluminum, and immune to bullets, lasers, or any other kind of weapon that would try to destroy it. Eggman had carefully plotted its perfect design to hold Shadow for his evil plans. He would take over the world with the aid of Shadow, whether the hedgehog wanted it or not! But now, with Arnus taking forever to report back, Eggman felt his brilliant plans at steak!

"Where IS he?" The Doctor slammed his fist onto a steel table, "I told him to report back within an hour! When I get my hands on-"

"Arnus to Eggman."

"Eggman here. You better have a worthwhile report for me, you piece of trash."

"I have located the prey. It is within the vicinity of Old Downtown Metropolis. I will track it down. What will you have me to do?"

"Be careful, Arnus, you're too valuable to lose," Eggman's voice switched tones, "Shadow is very powerful when he has a Chaos Emerald. Remove any emerald he might have in his possession and then you may use any means you deem necessary to capture him-as long as you do NOT severely hurt him! Do NOT damage him!"

With a discontented pause, Arnus replied, "As you wish, Master. I will report back within two hours. Arnus out."

The com went silent and Eggman chuckled. "With this new scheme of mine to conquer the world, I cannot fail!" His fist was balled above his head, "Shadow will be mine to command as I please and he will destroy anyone and anything that gets in my way! This is perfect-not even Sonic can stop me this time!" He threw his head back with pure evilness, "Mwu ha, ha, ha, HA, ha, ha, HA, ha, ha!"


	3. Chapter Three: Old Life, New Memories

Sonic, Shadow, etc- none of it belongs to me. They belong to SEGA. Remember that well.

-

**STORY TITLE: Just A Shadow In the World**

-

CHAPTER THREE: New Life, Old Memories

"Ya got her, sweetie?"

"Yeah, I got her." Sonic strutted into the room with a creamy-white, albino bat closely behind. She had a new look, Sally thought, interested in what the strange lines on Rouge's shoes were.

"Whadda' ya need me for?" Rouge spun casually in the room, "Sonic wouldn't tell me. You know, Sally, I'll do it, but only for jewels." Same old Rouge, same old ambitions, same old personality. No one could mistake Rouge for someone else; she had her own classy air and singular way of presenting herself. The bat had certainly been busy, her new look spoke so. Rouge's one pink, then purple clothes, were now a faded blue and black. Black lines streaked the sides of the skin-tight clothing, sort of resembling a jumper suit, accept Rouge's new wardrobe was also equipped with an awesome pair of new boots. Knee high, they had rocket skates on the bottom, similar to Shadow's for extra speed as well as suction cups.

"We need you to track down the last Chaos Emerald. We know it's located somewhere in Metropolis."

"That's it? Well, this should be a fun alternative to the boring work I've had-hanging around the Chaotix and all. They call themselves professionals but they're just a bunch of slobs."

"As you say," Sally tossed a walkie-talkie to the bat, "I can pay you in jewels. What would a princess be without her own mountains of gems?"

"Gotcha' girl," Rouge hovered a few feet from the ground and winked mischievously, "But I need to know if there's anything else to this mission."

"Well, perhaps you should look out for anyone else who might be on the trail. I don't have the particulars, but I do know the somethin's up-I can feel it."

"Alright. I'll get right on it and don't worry; I'm the world's greatest treasure hunter! You can count on me!"

"Thanks Rouge. We're bringing in the rest of the gang to help us out. I know you'll find it, but we're gonna' be coming in soon anyways. There's more going on here than a lost gem. I sense something very nasty will happen in the next few days."

"If you say so, but it doesn't concern me-just my jewels." One last wink and Rouge was just a dot in the sky heading towards the skyscrapers of the urban city.

"Where are they?" Sally's hands were placed firmly on her hips which meant she was becoming upset. "Nothing can be done till they're here!" Her eyes were narrowed.

"Don't be angry, Sal, Antoine and I are here now, all's well!" Bunnie punched the door open enthusiastically with Antoine behind her, "And we brought Knuckles, Tails, Cream, and Big!"

"Wonderful! Now we can finally go to Metropolis! But first, close the door, we've found some other disturbing things that I haven't told anyone else."

"I saw that bat girl leaving as we came in," Knuckles threw himself snobbishly on a nearby sofa, "What's she doing here?"

"I hired her to find the last Chaos Emerald. No complaints this time, Knux." She whipped out a remote before he could say anything and turned on the TV, sliding a tape in, and clicked the play button. "This is a new tracking machine Tails recently built for us. The map on the screen you see is a portion of Metropolis and the red dot is a figure we can't define. The other dot, the blue one, is a living creature that the machine is tracking. We have no idea who these two are but our first mission is to keep them from each other. As the dots move, the map retracts to show more of the city and if they're closer, it zooms in on a smaller portion. There's a lot we have to do-I feel that Eggman's behind this-so we better start here. Let's get going! Let's go find these things! Knuckles, you take Tails, Antoine, and Bunnie and I will take Sonic, Big, and Cream. We'll split up. Grab a pair of walkie-talkies off the counter and let's move! You guys find the machine and we'll find the creature!"

"Ok!" Knuckles snatched three walkie-talkies, tossing two to his team members, then ran from the building. Sally and her team were close behind and all six headed for the city in Tail's Tornado II.

-

"Dr., I have tracked the creature to a residence in downtown Metropolis. It appears to be hurt."

What do you mean?" Eggman hissed impatiently, "Shadow: hurt? Impossible!"

"He is hurt and is lying in a room all by itself. What will you have me to do?"

"Is there any other life forms in the building?"

"Yes: this is an apartment complex."

"Do not strike, Wait until he's by himself then attack!"

"Yes, Master, as you wish. Arnus out." Arnus closed his eyes to regenerate. So, Shadow was hurt and living with another life form? This was very interesting. By reading all the files on the creature, Arnus would have supposed that the hedgehog would have chosen to be a rogue, to live by himself. Interesting. He'd have to see what the circumstances of this were.

-

"Shadow? I brought you some food. Are ya' hungry?" Amy slid the glass tray across the small desk near the bed. "Are you even awake?" She whispered, hovering above the bed silently. Shadow appeared so helpless, so vulnerable, sleeping so soundly. His mouth was formed into a small open slit, the expression being one of san agony, and he was completely motionless. "Oh no! Is he dead?" Amy snatched up his left arm for a pulse, touching the line of stitches on the left side of his head.

"What?" Shadow whipped up from the covers, sending Amy screaming. "Amy. What were you doing?" His collective calm completely recovered, Shadow's arms were once again folded and he was frowning deeply at her presence in the room.

"Oh, I brought you some food." She stumbled to stand up, "And you were sleeping so… so… motionless that I went to feel for a pulse. Sorta' silly, no?" She chuckled nervously, "Are you hungry? Your food is still nice and hot."

Shadow eyed the tray without turning his head then nodded slowly. "Thank you, Amy." He picked the tray up and positioned it across his legs. Amy stood back watching the perfect manners as the food slowly disappeared. Shadow used his silverware with perfection, never drooled, never talked with his mouth full. He took small sips of his juice between bites and always brought the food to his mouth, not his mouth to the food.

_Wow_, she thought in awe,_ He's like perfect! I wonder what he was dreaming just a few minutes ago? He's so good at hiding his feelings; I can't help but envy him. I wish he liked me more… I think I'm suffering from a major crush which I don't need. I can handle this._

"I'm finished."

"Ah, of course," Amy hurried to assist him, "How's your head? Are you hurting or anything?"

"No."

"Good, that's good! Sorry if I seem sorta' weird-I'm a little scared at times." She hastened from the room, but was back within minutes, this time with a glass of water and two pills. "The doctor said you need to take two pills a day for two days."

"I don't need pills." Shadow folded his arms again, glaring, "I will recover fine without them."

"Perhaps so, but this is what the doc said and you need to respect other people's orders besides your own."

Offended, Shadow slid out of the bed, "I did respect other people at one time." His hand slid over hers for a second as he took the pills and the glass, never letting his eyes leave hers, "But that was before I forgot who I was. You understand that I still have trouble remembering things."

"Why are you telling me these things?"  
"Because you might be able to help me remember some things about myself."  
"That would depend on what you remember. First you'd have to tell me what you know about yourself."

"Alright." Shadow swallowed the pills and the water, placed the glass softly on a dresser nearby, and walked to the window to look at the traffic flowing beneath. "I remember who I am: Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Life form. I remember being created on the space colony ARK by Professor Gerald Robotnik. And… I remember Maria." He skipped over that fact. It was none of Amy's business to know the closeness he had felt with the child, none of her concern. "But I don't know why I was created. What was my purpose? I fulfilled my promise to Maria. She told me to make the people happy, to give them a new chance to fulfill their dreams. By saving the earth from the ARK, I did that. And now… I have no purpose."

"Everyone always has purpose. Perhaps that was one of the things Maria wished of you, but there's always more. She said to make the people happy, to give them a new chance. You can always do that by helping them."

"You make it sound so simple. I've had a lot of dreams the past week and none of them make sense."

"Is there anything else you remember about yourself?" She asked, dodging such private things as dreams.

"Yes. I remember… Sonic and Tails and Knuckles… and you, of course. Then there were others: Cream, Big, Espio, Charmy, and Vector. And the Metal Overlord. We defeated that monster as well."

"It sounds as though you do know everything about yourself."

"If I do, then why do I feel this gap in my memory? There is something that I'm missing.

"I'm sorry, but I truly cannot help you."

"Hmm. Of course, I don't know why I even told you any of that." His eyes shifted across the streets and roads, pausing on slightly interesting people or sights, but always changing, never staying in one place for longer than a few seconds. Amy wished Shadow wasn't so quiet at that moment, it made her nervous.

"Shadow?"

"Yes?" He looked at her with a void sadness.

"If… if you don't want to stay with me any longer, I can give you your Chaos Emerald and you can go."

"I could have gotten it whenever I wanted," He replied slowly, "But something told me that I needed to stay with you, that you could give me the something-the something-which I lack. That memory that I can't remember. Do you have any idea what that might be?"

"No."

"We'll just have to find out then, won't we?"

-

"What do you suppose Eggman is up to THIS time?" Tails swerved through the mashed streets of the city, "I mean, doesn't he get it about now? He'll never take over the world!"

"Heh! Eggman lives in a demented, fantasy world of his own!" Sonic shoved another chilidog through the hole in his face, then another and another, managing two at times in one bite, "We can handle him, right Knux, ol' pal?"

"Sure, no worries Tails, we got it covered." Knuckles scratched his head confidently, legs propped up to the side of the vehicle.

"We won't fail!" Sally piped in, leaning over the passenger seat, "But no time for talk! This is where we split up!"

"Yes, Auntie Sally!" Tails slammed on the breaks. The Tornado came to an abrupt halt in an empty warehouse parking lot. The two teams instantly broke into three's, heading left and right till neither could be seen. Strangely, though neither team knew it, both were heading in the same directions!

-

The sun was fading through the luminous clouds, thinned, forming hazy streaks through the dusky sky, glowing with hot orange and pink-sometimes purple-always changing hues and positions in the darkening sky. Shadow stood on Amy's back porch. Perhaps he should go and redeem the Chaos Emerald, then hit the road. Did he truly belong here? Parts of his heart told him that it was dangerous to be here and that he could only to good if he left; but another part told him to stay and see what the week would bring. Anything could happen, it whispered, why be so afraid?

He stepped off the porch and skated down to the beach. The water felt cool and welcoming to his hot fingers-something truly wonderful, like the soft touch that Maria had once held him with. His eyes closed against the ripples. Her voice consumed him, the memories playing like a movie in his mind.

-

_"Maria, what is it like down on earth?" Shadow had asked one afternoon, though no one could tell day from night in space._

_The weak blond had been sitting on the cold floor, Shadow in her arms, her hands tenderly rubbing his arms. "I don't know. Grandpa said it was a wonderful place. He told me about how the people down there see the sun and he said it wasn't how we see it. They see it through the day, which is the blue sky. It warms the streets that the people walk on and the oceans that the people swim in. Grandpa also told me that the moon is like a giant marble hanging in the sky at the night. They see stars, but not nearly as many as we see. I would trade all the stars in the sky to live down there."_

_"As would I. The professor told me that the reason you're usually weak and sick is because humans need the sun to live off of. He said that the light strengthens your bodies. I wish you could go down there. I know it would heal you."_

_"I know it would too, but I wouldn't ever go anywhere you were not."_

_"Maria… don't you wish that you could go down there? What's the one thing you would want to do or see if you could ever go down there?"_

_There had been a long pause where the two had simply stared out at the watery planet in thought. Maria had stroked his spikes lovingly, held him close to her, given him all the hugs and precious love that all the humans combined could ever have given each other. Everyday they spent together playing games, creating games, just being bored. Sometimes they had made impressive spiraling towers of metal and steel._

_"I guess… If I could go down there, I would want to see you happy with someone who loved you and would always be there for you."_

_"But you love me."_

_"Yes, but as a sister. I've always wished for you to find happiness with someone of your own that you could love and raise a family with."_

_"Maria, why didn't you ever tell me this?"_

_"I guess I thought it didn't matter since I don't ever think I'll go down there. I have no doubt that you will someday though. It hurts to think that I won't be with you."_

_"What do you mean?" Shadow had shifted his position so his arms where wrapped around her neck, "Why won't you be with me?"  
"Oh, Shadow, for such a perfect creature, you have overlooked the logical. I'm a human, I won't live forever. You, on the other hand, will. You were created to be immortal. You will never die of old age." She had cried those words out, tears running down her cheeks, as Shadow had wiped them away._

_"Don't cry, don't cry, Maria. If you can't be with me, I won't go. I'll kill myself."_

_"No! Don't ever kill yourself! I know you're better than that." With a quivering voice, she had said, "Shadow. Remember: I will always be with you. If you feel I am gone, find me. I could never forget you. Always-always know that I love you and when I'm not around anymore, I'll be protecting you from the clouds."_

_-_

**-Michelle Tumes – With the Angels-**

"Maria…" Shadow slipped his legs, shoeless, into the water. He felt as though his tears could fill the ocean. That memory was a new memory, one he had never remembered now until now. How precious she had been to him-one in all the time of earth and now never to come again!

"_Always know that I love you and when I'm not around anymore, I'll be protecting you from the clouds."_

"Maria!" Shadow yelled towards the fading clouds, "You said you would always be here with me! What good does that do me if I can't see or hear you? What is my life without you? What did you mean when you told me that you hoped I would find someone to love me? I had someone to love me! Now it's gone… All gone..." His knees sunk into the water. "All gone…"

"Shadow…" A soft voice whispered behind him.

Embarrassed, Shadow stood up, turning to face the person who dared interrupt his depression. Amy Rose stood, trembling, crying heavily, unable to speak. "Amy, why are you here?" Shadow's own voice was still choked from the crying, "Can't I have some time to myself?"

"I'm sorry. Walking along the beach is a habit of mine for months now. I didn't know you were out here. I'm sorry, I'll leave."

"Wait-don't go!" He grabbed her arm desperately. "Stay with me. I need someone to keep my thoughts away from me."

"Are you sure? You won't hurt me?"

"I won't hurt you. I promise. I wouldn't ever hurt you, Maria wouldn't have wanted it."

So they both started down the beach at a slow pace. Shadow had recovered his shoes. Amy was too frightened at the display she had just witnessed to speak and Shadow did nothing to discourage the silence.

By now, the sun was just a tint of blue left behind the mountains. All the hundreds of stars twinkled above, as if they were guarding a most priceless treasure. They reminded Shadow of Maria and all her innocence, love, and purity. She had never wanted anything of herself, just him all the time they spent together. Her heart had been only to please him and give him what he desired. Why hadn't he been able to save her? Why did she have to be selfish that one time in her life and leave him? She could have been selfish at another time. He still couldn't believe, after all this time, that she had saved him and sacrificed herself.

"Uh?" Something soft and warm was holding his hand. He eyed Amy and she smiled back, so he allowed her hand to stay in his.

"Shadow, I want you to know that I'm here always if you need to tell me anything." She stated carefully, "If you ever think you have to just get something out of your system, please come see me. I will understand."

"I don't see how. Besides, you're just a girl."

"No I'm not!" She defended her position, "I am not just a girl. When I left Sonic and came into the city, I took college classes that were far above my level, but I passed. I found new skills and things I didn't even know I could do and I worked to better myself! Now I have a well-paying job, my own apartment, car, and bank account. I am responsible and reasonable. That girl you knew before is so much more now."

"I see. But don't tell me that all of your previous self is gone. That would ruin who you are."

"No… it's all still there, I've just added lots to it."

"That's good." They were silent again. "Amy? Maria told me in the memory I had that she wished for me to find love with someone."

"She did?"

"Yes. And… We've only spent a few days together, but something in me has been… warming up to you, you could say. You're not as annoying as you had been before."

"Annoying! Why you!" Amy grabbed a mound of soggy sand and chucked it at him, "I'll show YOU who's annoying!" another soggy clump hit him in the head.

"Oh, ya?" Shadow started throwing clods back, which sent Amy almost into a hysterical rage, "You can't win!" He mocked.

"Just you watch! Ah!" Another clump smacked her right in the head, "That's not fair!"

"There aren't rules to this game!"

"Yes there are because I made it!"

"Elaborate!" Shadow playfully sprung at her.

"Eeeek!" She screamed upon contact. Rolling a few times, they both hit the water, soaking Amy's clothes through. "Shadow, what's gotten into you? I just can't understand you! One minute you're angry and mourning over someone and the next you're laughing and playing! And… get off of me…"

"No. You're nice and warm. I think I'll stay here."

"But the water is cold!" She wined."

"Be responsible. If you want to get out of this fix, just make me get off."

"Fine!" With a shove, she slung Shadow off her person and popped up out of the water. "You are the weirdest hedgehog ever."

"I thought I was a creature."

"Not hardly. Don't take to heart when people call you that. You look like a hedgehog to me. You're a guy obviously, or one really ugly girl."

He chuckled a little, "Maria and I used to play like that all the time. There are things about me that I don't even know about. It's sort of sudden: it just comes and takes over and I find out that I'm not just a shallow, hollow hole."

"Of course you're not! Let's go back to the house!"

Wringing out her hair, Amy started a slow jog back to her porch with Shadow easily keeping up at her slow pace. Water was dripping off of her in a steady, long stream from the beach to the apartment and she was already chattering from the cold winds that had started whipping around the city. "C-can you go fetch me a towel, Shadow? I don't want to get the carpet wet."

"Sure," Shadow headed into the house. His shoes were dry and his fur was as well. All he had had to do was shake himself off and he was dry in a minute. Amy on the other hand wasn't so lucky. Her clothes kept her cold and wet and girls weren't allowed to walk around the city nude. It just wasn't decent.

Shadow ran down the hall energetically. When he was with Amy, something strange washed over him and it was as if all his cares vanished. No one girl had affected him in that way. Maria had always given him a safe haven of rest and hope, but Amy was giving him a new kind of love that Maria hadn't been able to. It scared him and thrilled him at the same time for he was starting to feel the same way towards the pink hedgehog.

He flipped the light on, but nothing happened_. The lights must be out_, he reasoned logically, opening the cabinet, pulling out a pink towel.

"Ultimate Lifeform." A robotic voice echoed from the darkness.

"Who's there?" Shadow responded, "Identify yourself. You're trespassing on private property."

"I am Arnus."

"Not you again. Doesn't Eggman ever give up?"

"I will take you back to the doctor-this time you will not escape!" With a flash, Shadow found a net surrounding him.

"You won't beat me that easily!' He shredded the net and lunged at the robot. "Who do you think you are?"

"You cannot use Chaos Control now!" Arnus kicked Shadow off and sprayed the black hedgehog with sleeping gas.

"You-you monster!" Shadow grabbed the left arm of the robot, ripping it off, then threw the machine out of the window. "I have to get the Chaos Emerald!" He ran for Amy's room, but the spray was taking a heavy affect on him. "C-Chaos." He felt for the emerald but couldn't sense it anywhere in the room.

"Looking for this?" Arnus appeared in the door holding the gem sassily. In his other hand struggled Amy.

"So… you grew your arm back…" Shadow's vision was slurring. He looked at Amy helplessly. "Don't worry, Amy, I'll protect you." But his world faded completely.


	4. Chapter Four: Captured By Evil

Sonic, Shadow, etc- none of it belongs to me. They belong to SEGA. Remember that well.

-

**STORY TITLE: Just A Shadow In the World**

-

CHAPTER FOUR: Captured By Evil

"Sal, Sal!"

"I'm here, Sonic, what's wrong?"

"The-the Emerald! I'm gettin' no reading from it anymore! We were right upon it and then it just vanished!"

"What do you mean it just vanished? Where are you?"

"At some apartment complex structure. I'm actually standing inside the kitchen?"

Sally stepped through the front door and stopped dead, staring at Sonic. "Hey, your tracker took you here? But that's impossible! We're not even tracking the same thing!"

Feeling perplexed and stupid at the same time, Sonic lowered his walkie-talkie and shrugged, "I unno'. But I have a bad itch about this. Eggman must be behind this. What do you think, Sal?"

"I think you're right about Eggman and I also think that the robot I was after and the emerald you were after are linked together. But what about the creature the robot was stalking? It's gone as well." She handed her tracker to Cream, who hugged it and Cheeze close to her chest. "Things keep getting stranger."

"Sonic! This is Amy's apartment!" Tails, standing by a silver metal shelf, had a photograph in his hand. The picture was of Amy and Cream together at a birthday party. Amy was wearing a silky red gown, sparkling rubies choked her neck, and a glittering tiara was fastened in her hair. She looked radiant.

"Amy! This is Amy's place? No way!" Sonic snatched the framed picture and wiped the smudge-less frame in shock, "We have to find her! That robot was probably tracking her!" He gritted his teeth, "I can't believe this! If she's hurt-"  
Knuckles broke in, "Man, she was really doing well. This place is incredible. But don't jump to conclusions, Sonic, I think all of us better spread out, do a thorough scan, look around for anything that could give us hints. Don't panic now."

"Good ol' Knuckles," Sonic kept the picture, hiding it in his own pack, "Good idea. I'll check the kitchen. Tails, you go upstairs and the rest of you check the rooms."

"Ok, Sonic."

"Yes, Sonic."

"Sure."

"Of course, Mr. Sonic!"

"Wow, soft carpet."

They all paused and looked at Big, but he was too interested in the soft carpet to notice anything else outside the small world.

-

This place was the very definition of contemporary, modern convenience. Amy had sure created her own little kingdom within itself. The walls were stamped with delicate red roses of all different sizes and prints; each room was lavished with rich curtains, pure oak furniture, and feminine glass figurines or ceramics. Sonic hadn't realized Amy was so capable on her own nor had such amazing taste for that matter. She had always needed him, relied on him, to save her and make sure that she never got into any trouble. He could hardly believe any of this was real.

The kitchen surpassed any other he had ever seen. A perfectly clean sink sat at the center end of the room, dark, brown oak cabinets to the left and right, a gas stove to the right, and a dark pink refrigerator to the right. At the far end of the room, to the right, towered a large antiqued china cabinet with crystal glasses filling the inside.

_Oh, Amy, where are you?_ His fingers slowly slid along the surface of the refrigerator. Magnets with small images and text were aligned in girlish patterns. The word AMY was spelled out in through the aid of toddler-colored, incorrectly cut letters of pink, red, and gold, stuck with magnets, and finished in a cute manner of sparkles stuck on the paper. Another magnet had a picture of Amy and Tails together standing in front of Tails' workshop at the Mystic Ruins. Then, pausing, Sonic gingerly fingered a small photograph of himself taken shortly after the defeat of the Bio Lizard. His eyes filled with long-held tears. _Amy…Little sis… I love you so much… Wait for me to save you, please…_

-

Tails' scanner was already picking up specks of Chaos energy as he entered Amy's bedroom. Freezing wind was blowing through the shattered window. Glassy shards were scattered, thousands of them, all over the wooly carpet. He picked up one of pieces regretfully, whispering Amy's name sadly in the haunted silence of the once active room.

The energy readings shot through the roof close to where the broken window stood crying. "This is bizarre." The fox scanned and re-scanned the area to make sure his readings were accurate, and then he whipped out a walkie-talkie. "Sonic, guys, get up here! I found something that we might be able to analyze! You won't believe it!"

"We're coming!" Was the reply and shortly, the whole gang had entered the room.

"You guys, I'm reading strong Chaos energy over here. Now, the Chaos Emerald itself isn't here anymore. If it was, someone or something took it. Sonic, stop that, don't touch the glass unless you want to cut yourself. As I was saying, something was harnessing the power of the emerald but wasn't able to finish it before it was taken or something."

"Perhaps the robot was here and stole the emerald."

"That's what I was thinking, good one Auntie. I can't find out where the thing went from these readings, but all I need to do to track down the emerald now is store the readings from this emerald and I can find its signal."

"How long will that take, Mr. Tails?" Cream asked in her high-pitched voice.

"Just a few minutes. You guys look around the room-and be careful not to cut yourself on the glass." Tails squatted over the shards of glass and hovered one of his tech gadgets over it.

Absently, the fighters fingered the objects so precious to Amy. They sighed angrily, some sadly, over the rare photos, pictures on the walls, stuffed animals, small trinkets they had given Amy in the past. Just the decorations of the room shouted her personality: peppy, spunky, enthusiastic, optimistic. They couldn't imagine their lives without her. Even if she had been annoying at times and dependant on them, they all still loved her and not a day passed when one of them wished she were back.

"I'm done! The Chaos Emerald is… Whoa! It's in Harboropolis!" He gasped, "I can't tell exactly, but when we get there, we'll be able to tell! Let's go!"

"Ya, that's it!" Sonic jumped up, "I'm on it! I'll meet you guys in Harboropolis!" He grabbed some rings from Sally's pack and whizzed from the room in a flash, "I'm gonna race ahead an see what stuff I can find!"

"That's Sonic… Let's go!" Knuckles headed out.

-

"Wake up… Wake up Shadow! Please wake up!" A voice begged from somewhere, "Please wake up before it's too late! I beg of you, please wake up!" The voice was young, half high-pitched and wining, and yet, there was a deeper maturation to it that he couldn't understand.

"Maria?" Shadow opened his eyes, "Is that you?"

"Shadow!" Amy brightened, "You're awake! Quick: break out of that capsule before Eggman or Arnus returns!"

"Capsule?" He stepped forward into the hard glass-like side of the large tube and slapped his hands to the side. The capsule itself was large and spacey, warm, but confining at the same time. It was empty. "No! Not another capsule!" Shadow pounded the side ruthlessly but it wouldn't break. He kicked it but it still wouldn't shatter. Stepping back, Shadow's hands balled rebelliously. This capsule was stimulating emotions he hadn't felt in years and it frightened him. What if he couldn't get out?

-

"_Maria!" The walls had fallen around him in seconds, "Maria!"_

_"Shadow, I beg of you: do it for them, please, give them the chance for a better future, to be able to live their dreams. A chance for happiness."  
"No-Maria!" He had tried to reach her but the walls had held him in and all he could do was watch helplessly as the frail human girl clutched her chest, gasping for air. Her fingers had struggled across the control panel to the launch button and he had begged her not to press it, but she did, though not before casting him one last glance of sad love. He would never see here again. Never!"_

_"Maria!" Shadow had pressed his body against the glass, and then he didn't see her anymore. The earth was below. She was gone forever and he had cried._

-

The reaction this capsule sparked from his mind was to recoil in fear. All capsules were enemies: they had taken him away from the only one he loved and then he had been locked away in another one for 50 years.

"Amy: what are you doing here?" He faced the pink girl on the ground. She was so far away from this elevated position that the capsule had been built on. This room wasn't a normal room. There were huge, steel containers attached from chains, hanging from the ceiling, and touched the floor. Green liquid rushed through the tubes. At the end of the room, a single door stood closed. Large, white lights shone from the top of the empty room, but their light was dim and didn't help the dark room very much. The floor was a polished marble, black, with red streaks leaking through the slabs. Pipes hung all round the room, hissing oxygen, and every few seconds, a low beeping noise sounded.

"It was Eggman! This strange metal hedgehog came to the apartment and knocked you out. He said his name was Metal-"  
"Arnus." Shadow folded his arms, recollecting himself partially. Now he was beginning to become angry.

"Yes… He took your Chaos Emerald-and me obviously-and you and transported all of us here where Eggman put you in the tube thing and me to these chains." She pathetically lifted her arms which were locked by cuffs attached to short chains to the wall. "I can't reach you."

"What does that old man want from us? He can't get anything from you." Shadow reasoned to himself, but out loud, "And without the Chaos Control, I only have my skills to rely on."

With a hiss, the door opened and a rounded figure, accompanied by a much shorter one, entered the room. Their figures cast long shadows over the cement floors. They casually approached till their faces were recognizable from the dimess: Eggman and Metal Arnus.

"Well, Shadow, long time, no see. It's such a pleasure to have you back working for me again." Eggman grinned defiantly. The doctor never seemed to change: his even infamous costume was the same British regimentals as they had been for years, with the shining, gold buttons running down both sides and the flaps in the back of the rich jacket.

"I don't understand you." Shadow glared at the egg-shaped doctor, "What is it exactly that you want from me?"

"Simple! I thought you knew me better than that by now, Shadow, after all that time we spent together plotting to take over the world! I want you to destroy every city I tell you to, eliminate every agent I tell you to, and rid me of those pests: Sonic and his worthless lot of friends!"

"You actually expect me to do any of that?" Sure, Shadow was still angry and hurt at the mistrust from Sonic, but he wasn't evil like he used to be, even if his silent personality still lingered. "I will never help you of my own free will."

"Well, that's just the point: it won't be of your own free will. I knew from the start that you wouldn't want to help me, so I will force you!"

"Forget the stupid gestures, doctor; you can't force me to do anything. I am the Ultimate Lifeform."

Eggman cackled hysterically for a second, but then grew serious. On cue, Arnus walked over to a small control panel and pressed a button. Wires that seemed to be alive stretched forth from the small holes in the capsule Shadow was in and dug their pointy faces into his skin. Four wires, one on each arm and leg, firmly fastened themselves into him, sending Shadow into a panic.

"What are these? What are you doing to me?" He yanked at the wires as their slithering stopped in his body, "Get these out of me!"  
"It's not what I am doing, it's what I will be doing! Those wires will very shortly start transferring an unknown form of Chaos energy into your body that I have managed to extract from the Chaos emeralds and tested successfully! With your new energy, you will be able to use a new move far more powerful than the Chaos Control will ever be! This new move will be called Chaos Command! Oh, yes, it was used thousands of years ago by the long lost Echidna tribes-until they foolishly used it on themselves one day and it has never been recovered since before this day! I surprise myself with my genius! Oh-one last thing! You cannot use the Chaos Command without the eight Chaos Emerald! Yes, there IS an eighth emerald!"

"You won't be able to get away with this! I will use it against you!" Shadow clawed at the siding in vain.

"Ha, ha! I think not! I have already placed a chip inside your person that will force you to obey my every command! You will not be able to resist it!" His voice had taken on a playful, evil tone with that last sentence, like a child opening presents, "Now, I will leave you to your thoughts. And you Miss Rose, I will leave you here to watch what happens to your precious boyfriend."

Blushing, Amy picked at the chains. _He's not my boyfriend_, she bit her lower lip, gazing up at the tube bashfully. Shadow had his hands still pressed to the side, totally still, eyes closed, as if in a deep sleep or thought. Just watching him sent shivers through her spine. He was everything she had remembered of him-still so lost and confused like a little puppy. How she felt like crying for his memories, how she grew angry for the first time at Maria for leaving him as she did. Selfish girl: hadn't she cared what Shadow's life would have been like without her?

She shook her head. What was going on? The tube was starting to fill with a bubbling, green fluid! "Shadow: the capsule!" She burst emphatically, "It's filling up!"

He gulped: this fluid greatly resembled that of the capsule Gerald had raised him in. Could it be? Shadow gazed hopefully down at Amy, "I'll be fine." He nodded slowly as the fluid filled to the top and over his head. Just as he thought, the fluid was full of oxygenated bubbles so that he could easily breathe and the liquid itself was pumping nutrients constantly. It had been ages since he had felt anything so soothing and warm; he needed to soak it all in, just a little. It felt so heavenly. Now he couldn't have cared less how long he would be kept in this small jail or what was going on outside his small world.

-

In a dense, small faction of the city of Harboropolis, three detectives attempted to entertain themselves at their office. Their last location hadn't worked out so well when they were kicked from the building due to lack of bill payments, so the Chaotix had moved to downtown Seattle, near the docks where the fairy boat's swam and the trolleys dinged on the tracks leading back and forth through the city. From their new location, the large university's, tallest, grandest buildings could be seen reaching high above its foes. Open market places boasted the skills of men and women sliding large fish from counter to counter, carelessly ignoring the on watching crowds of speculators and tourists. Cable buses drove by through the old, packed streets. Cars passing through tunnels could look directly to skyscrapers rising through the clouds.

But inside the Chaotix office, it was quiet and boring. Espio stood, eyes closed, against the farthest wall, concentrating on nothing in particular. Vector lay sleeping on the couch, tongue hanging to the side, and Charmy was out doing nothing of particular interest. It was another usual, boring day in the detective business of Team Chaotix.

"Guys, GUYS!" Charmy burst through the door, "We've got work! Finally! Work, work, work!" The kid's treble voice was almost disgusting.

"Eh?" Vector fell from the couch, "Whadda' ya mean work? Who's it from?"  
"It's Knuckles! Remember him? He wants us to help him track down some Chaos Emerald or something like that! Why don't you talk to him yourself?"

"Knuckles! Long time, hasn't it been?" Vector greeted Knuckles as the red Echidna stalked into the room.

"Nice office. Better than your last one. Who had thought I'd find out ya'll had moved here? Lots of space."

"And lower rent, heh! So, what's this job? As long as you pay, we'll work for ya!"

"The pay is good. Gather round, this is serious stuff."

Finally, Espio moved from his solid position to join the others. The chameleon was almost as strange as Shadow, their personalities being similar in more than one way.

-

Sonic was close, very close. His right eye was already twitching in that old way it had itched whenever Amy was around. Smirking, he jumped from the light post onto the streets below and ran through the city at rocket speed. Petty pedestrians honked when he dashed past their cars but he didn't care. Almost there, almost there! The signal on his tracker was beeping fast and faster and faster! Stopping, Sonic peeped behind a corner to see a small, shack-like building standing in a back alley out of sight and unsuspicious. What was this? His tracker had stopped beeping and was now was giving off a constant buzz. He flipped it off, stuffed it away, and entered the shack.


	5. Chapter Five: Knowing Love

So far I've gotten two good reviews I hope to get some more! People may think that this story is really great, but I sorta feel that it's… complex… at times, I have a little trouble keeping up with it but knowing the whole plot really helps me! Please review and don't be afraid to be a critic- just don't swear my work or anything-be a nice critic. The stories I write on are practice for the real book-publishing writing I want to do!

-

Sonic, Shadow, etc- none of it belongs to me. They belong to SEGA. Remember that well.

-

**STORY TITLE: Just A Shadow In the World**

-

CHAPTER FIVE: Knowing Love

"Where are you guys? I've been waiting here forever!"

"We're coming. Stop you're wining, Sonic!" Sally rolled her eyes. It was two days past since Sonic had found the strange, condemned shack standing in-between two skyscrapers. Since it had seemed so odd and since his tracker had pointed to it, Sonic had dared to venture in. What he found was almost unbelievable: the deserted folds of the shack had revealed a spiraling set of stairs that led a mile or so beneath the city. At the bottom, he had stumbled upon another door, this one being made of metal, and had ventured through it. On the other side he had found a humongous warehouse-like room, completely empty, and a small, double-door at the opposite end. Sally had warned him not to go through it until the whole gang could back him up and, reluctantly, he had agreed. So now he stood waiting rather impatiently for his fiancée and friends to show up. Night was falling and Sonic's nerves started jumping. Two more minutes and he wasn't going to wait anymore-this was nuts!

"We're here!" Tails announced, breaking Sonic's pity-party, "Is-is this it?" He couldn't believe that the tracker had centered in on this pathetic, condemned shack. "This is crazy."

"Tell me somethin' new. Hey Knuckles, where 'ave you been?"

"Hiring some detectives."

"What? What for! I already hired Rouge to find the Chaos Emerald for us!" Sally erupted, "Why'd you go do that? I'm the leader here, Knuckles; sometimes you make me so angry!"

"Hey, hey, that makes better chances. I don't trust Rouge, besides, I'M paying the Chaotix. No worries, S'cool." He motioned her off sassily, but hastened over to Sonic for unwelcome protection lest she started to do something crazy.

"Ok, so this is where your tracker took you? To this pathetic old shed?" She sighed.

"Ya."

"Well, with Rouge AND the Chaotix tracking the Emerald as well, I have a gut feeling that we'll all be seeing each other soon. I can't believe this-we didn't need-and don't-need all these people running around trying to find the same thing. I shouldn't have even hired Rouge, but I thought that she would be able to find it before we did and save us some time and effort. I see I was wrong."

"Yay! A reunion!" Cream hopped playfully, oblivious, Big laughed dumbly, everyone else ignored them.

Rain started pouring, adding to Sally's steaming mood, "Alright, that does it! I'm goin' in, c'mon people!"

"Ah, ya, sugah!" Bunnie enthusiastically followed her girlfriend inside. Sonic followed after them, Knuckles, Tails, Antoine, then Cream and Big trailing in the back of the small train. Since Sally didn't know where she was heading, Sonic bumped to the front and navigated them all down the stairs and through the old door into the large, empty room.

"This is utterly devastating." Sally whispered, "Is that the door you were talkin' about?" She pointed across the grassless field to a metal, double door at the end of the room.

"Yea, that's it. I'll go first."

"Wait: why you?"  
"Cuzz I know my way 'round!"

"That was upstairs. None of us have been through that door before!"

"Listen, Sal, it's safer I go in first."

"Why? I'm just as capable as you! I'm goin' in first."

"No you're NOT!" Sonic pushed her aside, but Sally shoved him back.

"YES I am!"

"NO you're NOT!" He shoved her again.

"Guys, guys!" Knuckles ripped them both apart, "I'LL go first, alright? No arguments! This is neither the place nor the time! I'm fed up with all of this anyways. I need to get back to Angel Island. There's no time to waist! Lovers…" He ran up to the door and tapped it a few times. Everyone stood around him, arched fashion, waiting, anxiously gulping. "Ah, Tails, c'mere and break this door code for me, will ya?"

"Sure thing, Knuckles." Tails ripped out a small, pointy object from his belt and jammed it into the small hole near the door. "This door has been encrypted with a six-digit word code." He announced matter-of-factly, "Heh, these people, when will they learn that words are so easy to crack?" He handed Knuckles his pick and tapped the word 'EGGMAN' into the panel. With a hiss, the door slid open. This room was different than the empty room they all had previously been in. There were liquids running through tubes, pipes, lights, and a few scattered objects lying on a few counters positioned against various walls.

"Amy!" Tails suddenly exclaimed, noticing a small, crumbled figure near one of the walls, "What are you doing here?"

The Freedom Fighters crowded around the shocked hedgehog. Knuckles broke her chains and Tails unlocked the cuffs from around her wrists. Something was major wrong. Amy looked like she had been crying-she was worn and tired.

"Tails… Sonic… Guys…" She burst into tears, "He's gone! Eggman sent him to kill a government official that he thinks was going to ruin his plans! What am I going to do?"

"Who's gone-what? Amy, calm down, if you don't tell us, we won't be able to stop this guy-who is this guy anyways?"

She stood on wobbling knees, supported by Tails, "Shadow." The word was barely audible but everyone had heard. A general silence followed, in which Amy forced herself to break, "Shadow was captured by Eggman and his Chaos Emerald was taken from him. Eggman locked him in that empty capsule!" She bitterly pointed to the now empty, waterless capsule that had once held the hedgehog Amy knew she now loved and couldn't live without, "Eggman stuck wires in his body-he's forcing him to destroy people that are against him! Shadow can't stop himself because Eggman-oh, he's evil-has stuck some sort of control chip in Shadow's brain! Sonic, I have to warn you: Shadow doesn't want to do this, but since he's being forced, he can't stop and if you try to get in his way, I'm afraid he'll kill you! Eggman has given him a new ability called Chaos Command! He said it was way more powerful than the Chaos Control is! He also said that there's an eighth Chaos Emerald that he apparently hasn't found because Shadow needs it to use the Chaos Command! What are you going to do?"

"Chaos Command? Another emerald? Whoa! This is big stuff!" Sonic was aghast at this information, for no one, not even Knuckles, had ever heard of such a move, or that an eighth Chaos Emerald even existed! "First, since this is the base of Eggman, I say we destroy it!"

"If only it were that simple," A silky voice broke from the ceiling, "There's more going on here than just a Shadow pawn. Amy, aren't you forgetting one small detail? Metal Arnus is still around." Rouge fell to the ground right in the center of the company and winked, her metallic costume reflecting the small amounts of light shining their way, "Hey Knuckles, honey, how are ya' these days? I missed you." Turning to Sonic, she grew serious, "Sonic, Metal Arnus is the newest creation of Eggman. He's far more powerful than Metal Sonic was. You must stop him as well as Shadow."

"Where can we find him?"

"I'd say wherever Eggman is, you'll find Arnus." Espio's voice broke in. The Chaotix stepped into the circle, "We didn't find the emerald because you all did, but we did find out what Eggman's plans are. He thinks by taming Shadow that he can threaten to destroy all the government officials and major cities unless the world should bow down to him. Arnus's job is to make sure Shadow completes his missions. The metal monster also has to keep all of us out of the way. He was created to destroy you, Sonic."

"That's not surprising." Sonic smirked. Every minion Eggman had ever created had been out to mail his letter but none had ever succeeded. "I can take him."

"Sometimes I worry about that attitude of yours," Rouge frowned, "It will get you into trouble this time. Arnus has the newest technology to destroy and disintegrate. He can use the Chaos Emeralds for all sorts of nifty lil' tricks against us. Be on your guard. I know he'll show up soon.

"Can we get out of here? I know were Shadow is heading!" Amy suddenly wailed loudly, "I have to stop him! Only I can stop him!"

"Oh, Sonic, I can find that last emerald for you. It sounds like a worthwhile job for a treasure hunter like myself." Rouge jumped in again.

"Done! Sally will still pay you those jewels if you find it!"

"Right!" Tails picked her up, "Show us the way!"

-

"_Go to the destination on this screen," Eggman had handed Shadow the mini-TV screen, "There is a family that lives there: a mother, father, and their little girl. The father is a government detective that's been tracking me down for almost a year. He's too close and I need him eliminated. Go. Kill him and if his family gets in your way, you can do with them what you want."_

Shadow fought against the chip every mile that took him nearer through the hills around Harboropolis. He kept promising himself that he wouldn't do this, that he'd rather die than hurt a family who hadn't done anything wrong. But the chip drove him on. If he dared stop, electric pulses would shock his nerves. The pain was excruciating. Shadow had found a matching enemy in the inch-sized parasite feeding off his body.

"How am I going to stop this?" He thought allowed. It was night and the stars were twinkling in the sky. They had always been a comfort to him but he didn't bother to look up at their promising light this time. "I don't want to do this, but no one can help me this time," He sparked to a stop in front of a small house on the corner of a quaint street. "This is it…" A few lights were on in the house-on the second story. "Guess that's where I have to go." He headed for the vine hanging close to a window that was open on the second floor. _Maria, can't you help me?_

He lingered by the window but the pain started increasing so he silently propped the screen off. Soft, girlish singing hovered in the room. Sweet singing. So familiar. The voice was so familiar. Shadow dropped the screen quietly and approached an open door leading into the large closet at the right side of the room. The voice continued singing sweet melodies of friendship and love. _Who is this girl?_ He blinked, stopping again as the girl stepped out of the closet with a prom gown in her hand. She shook her layered blond hair carelessly, threw the fancy gown on the bed, and picked up a brush off of her dresser.

"Mom, do you mind if I use some of your eye shadow tomorrow to the party?" She hollered down the hall, but no one responded. "Oh well, I'll ask again later. This party is going to be so much fun, I can't-" She turned, saw Shadow standing frozen beside her bed, and paused, "Who are you and what are you doing in my room? Mom!"

"Maria? Don't yell, I won't hurt you!" Shadow's world spun, "Is it you?"

"How do you know my name?"

"Don't… you remember me?" His voice wavered. She was here, Maria-alive, healthy, more beautiful than he had ever remembered her before!

**-Larue – I See You-**

"Maria, it's me, Shadow! You and I lived together on the space colony ARK many years ago! Ah-curse this…" His head was throbbing, his body screamed from the pain, "You have to stop me-stop me!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I was sent here by Eggman to kill your father! I can't-not that I know that you're alive! Stop me, Maria-help me not to do this!"

"I-I don't understand," Maria blocked the door to the hall, "I don't know you, I've never seen you in my life. Who are you?"

"My name is Shadow." He sped between her legs into the hall, against his will, but just so the throbbing would fade a little, "The Ultimate Lifeform, created aboard the space colony ARK over fifty years ago by your grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik." Shadow clutched the white Chaos Emerald desperately, "I want-need-you to take this from me." He held the emerald out but she hesitated at its beauty, "TAKE IT!"

Maria snatched the emerald fearfully from his outburst, "You're lying! I'll bet you're the one who has been giving me the dreams I've been suffering from the last month!"

"Dreams?" He stumbled down the stairs. Everything was growing blurry from the pain. "You-you've been dreaming?"

"Are you alright?" Maria grabbed his arm, "Ahh!" She fell back, gasping, "You shocked me! I can't believe this-what's going on? Don't kill my father!"

"I don't want to. I don't have a choice! Run away, run far away with that Chaos Emerald-never give it away-never let me have it!"

Maria pressed her slender form against the stairwell wall and gazed down at the weeping black hedgehog before her. Something was so familiar about him. She had seen him in her dreams, the dreams where they had loved each other and held each other. What was this? Everything was so difficult for her to grasp, she just wanted to fall down and faint. "Shadow… Sayonara Shadow the hedgehog…" She whispered monotonously, "That's what I said to you before... Before what? What had I done to you? Shadow! What's wrong with you? Don't die, you're the only key to my dreams! I don't understand!"

"You have failed your mission," A maroon robot warped into the room, "And you will be punished," His voice was as the cracking of ice on a frozen sea, cold, sharp. "The Master will see to that well."

"I would tare you apart if I could," Shadow grit painfully, "Maria, run away! Keep that Emerald to remember me! Find a blue hedgehog by the name of Sonic and he will help you remember who you are!" Still she hesitated, so Shadow used the last ounce of his sanity from the pain and screamed at her, "Get out, get out, Metal Arnus will kill you if you don't flee this place NOW!"

"Identify yourself, human," Arnus had Shadow trapped in a plasma lasso, "Hand over the Chaos Emerald if you want to live."

"No!" Maria kicked Arnus in the side so she could run down the stairs. As she ran, she was aware of a pursuit. Panic rose. The door was a few feet away-what if she didn't make it? Shadow had told her to keep the emerald to remember him. What would happen to him? Surely he wasn't going to die! Maria knew that she had just found someone from a former life but she just couldn't place him vividly in her mind. Everything she remembered were of sketches, small bits of events, but it had been just enough for her to realize that she and this Shadow had been inseparable.

"Help me!" She clutched the doorknob but it opened before she could even turn the knob! A two-tailed fox, an Echidna, and a bunch of other animals burst through the door with weapons in their hands. "What is this?"

"Who are you?" Sonic raised an eyebrow, "Whatev', stand aside! Is Shadow here?"

"Yes! And a strange robot thing!"

"Metal Arnus!" Tails spoke up, "We better stop them and save Shadow so we can remove his backup chip! According to my timer, his chip will power on in two days!"

"That doesn't leave us much time!"

"No kiddin'!" The heroes jumped over a confused Maria and raced for the hall. Her parents were shocked to say the least. A pale fear had shrouded Maria's mother insensible so only her father was available to evacuate the family. He did so with determination: picking up his wife and ripping his daughter from the floor and out the door. Maria protested the whole way: Shadow was going to get hurt! But her father ignored it.

"Tails, what does your scanner say about Metal Arnus?" Sonic snatched a few more rings for protection.

"I'm reading large masses of energy coming off of him-more than I've ever seen before in a machine of his size! Metal Sonic only had a fourth of what this guy has! I'm also reading large quantities of plasma energy, nuclear energy, deadly gasses, and Chaos energy! Man, this guy is loaded."

"Whoa!" Sonic whistled. Arnus stood, smirking, his eyes narrowed, "You're going to be harder than that Metal faker was! Hand over Shadow and we'll let you live!"

"I will destroy anyone who gets in my way." Arnus replied, "You will be destroyed!"

"Hmm… Get him!" The Freedom Fighters took fighting stances in a flash. "Give 'em what you got!"

Arnus disappeared silently. The bunch stopped in their tracks nervously. The room was silent as death, and then a bright light filled the room! "What's goin' on?" Sonic yelled.

"All enemies will be eliminated!" A plasma net fell on the band, "Prepare to meet your doom, Freedom Fighters!"

"No, don't hurt my friends!" Amy, unnoticed until now, jumped from the top of the stairs onto the unsuspecting Arnus, ripping wires from his head. Sparks flew upward. Arnus shook violently for a few seconds, head shaking, voice cracking, then fell to the ground motionless. "Shadow, are you alright?"

"I… I think so… My body isn't hurting anymore. I think that Metal Arnus has the ability to turn the chip off and on at his will. Destroy him." Shadow was his old collective self around Sonic. The two were still rivals, no matter how things stood.

"Shadow! Finally, we found you!" Sally engulfed him in a warm hug, "We never intended any harm to come of you! We should have talked about the problem with you-please listen to us!"

"Why should I?" He shook her off.

"Just listen for a sec, Shadow." Amy grabbed his hand, "Sonic isn't the evil sort." Even her woes had vanished through the ordeal just minutes before. She no longer loved Sonic like she had before and so her heart was whole and loving once again towards him.

"Fine." Shadow gripped her hand harder.

"Ok, it's like this, Shadow," Sonic stepped closer, "There's this chip in your brain that's fatal if it's not removed. Tails told me that the professor stuck it in there when you were created in case you didn't finish your revenge on the earth. In two days, this chip will turn on and wipe out your whole memory. You'll be like Metal Arnus: on a mission that no one can stop of only destruction and death. The only one that can remove the chip is Tails."

"Yes," Now it was Tails' turn to explain, "The chip is a basic backup command process. It two days, ten hours, and thirty-one minutes, the Shadow you are-all your memories and personality-will be completely wiped out. Think of a computer recovery process. Gerald Robotnik created this backup chip when you were first created. If this chip wipes you out, you'll be like a new computer just booting up all over again, accept with a totally new purpose to you life-like a new promise to fulfill."

"Interesting. How long will it take you to remove the chip?" His voice was testy."

"About two hours, you'll be asleep of course."

"Hmm… Alright…But I don't want any of you to follow me after this. I have a mission to complete and I don't want anyone to slow me down."

"We understand," Tails scanned Shadow, "Just as long as you're not holding a grudge against us."

"I guess I could let it drop, but first I have to know something."

"Yes?"

"We're all of you just pretending to care for me or was it really sincere?"

"It was sincere," Sally broke in, glaring at Sonic, "We love you Shadow. Don't go away. You're special in your own way, just like all of us are, and you deserve the same chance that we all get. We didn't betray you. We were unprofessional in the matter we chose to take care of the problem you have, but we failed to discuss it with you. Tails won't hurt you, don't worry."

"And he'll remove the chip Eggman also put in my mind?"

"Yes. Definitely." Tails smiled adorably, "I'll remove any chip you want me to but we need to return to my lab at the Mystic Ruins. All my tools are there."

"Wait a minute," Shadow turned to Amy, "Maria is alive. I saw her. I must go find her."

"Shadow?"

"I don't know what else to tell you-I don't even understand it myself how she can be alive unless this is another life for her…And I…was left behind." He turned shamefully away from her, "She doesn't remember much of anything. I must go to her and try to get her to remember me."

"We'll help you Shadow but we must stop Eggman first and find the eighth Chaos Emerald!"

"The last Emerald!" Rouge and Team Chaotix exclaimed at the same time, "Arnus must know something about it if Eggman knew about it! I'm sure that old doctor let him in on the juicy secrets concerning it's whereabouts! Tails," Rouge jogged over to Arnus, "Come scan this piece of junk to retrieve it's data. I'm going to find that emerald!"

As Tails scanned the unconscious metal hedgehog, Shadow stood in the darkness of the room, away from the others, eyes closed, mind concentrating. "I have this feeling you're going to want to come with me."

"You're right." Amy hadn't left him the whole time, neither had she allowed Shadow's grasp of her hand to fall empty. She smiled a tint, and whispered to his ears only, "Don't push me away, Shadow, I love you."

"How do you love me? In the way they do?" He opened his eyes, motioning over to the Freedom Fighters almost bitterly.

"No…"


	6. Chapter Six: Lost Secrets of the Past

Jeez! The only thing I'm having trouble figuring out is where and how the team's gonna find that last Chaos Emerald! I already got its color and power figured out and the reason it was hidden all these thousands of years. I'm also finishing up the details of Maria's reincarnation and how Shadow finds her and causes her to remember. The growing romance between he and Amy is already polished. .-

-

Sonic, Shadow, etc- none of it belongs to me. They belong to SEGA. Remember that well.

-

**STORY TITLE: Just A Shadow In the World**

-

CHAPTER SIX: Lost Secrets of the Past

So much had happened in just the last few days that Amy could barely find the sanity she needed to keep herself from crying in hopelessness of singing from love. She was overlooking the calm waters of the sweeping ocean, palm trees swaying heavily in the humid air to her back, Tail's workshop clicking away rhythmically. The rest of the gang was around doing their own thing. Last time she'd heard news of Sonic, he was running on the Windy Plains for some exercise. Antoine was polishing his sword, also practicing some stuffy speech for the Knothole parade the next month. Bunnie was eating coconuts with Cream and Big. Knuckles was no doubt back at the Master Emerald Shrine on the floating Angel Island talking to his precious gem. Rouge and the Chaotix were back to working together on the case to find the last Chaos Emerald: the eighth Chaos Emerald. Shadow was inside Tails' workshop, in one of those off-limits rooms to everyone but Tails, having his stitches removed, the backup chip, and the parasitic chip that Eggman had fused into his brain. She shivered angrily at the thought of Shadow being electrocuted against his will. How utterly savage. She hated that Eggman, oh how she wished he were locked up somewhere dark and damp never to bother another innocent creature again!

But that would never be so, Amy knew, for Eggman was too smart to be caught and his empire too vast to be extinguished. Comforting breaths of wind cooled her neck. She watched the small foams of white whipping from the ocean splash against the sandy shore and wondered if Shadow would be alright. Everyone was waiting for him. When he was well and recovered, the whole gang would set out again to find Eggman and that last emerald, minus Shadow and she, for he had solidly made up his mind to search and find Maria and she would stand by his side the whole way, faithful and loving, though no one knew but Shadow and she.

_It must be a really important jewel_, Amy slid her hands into her sparkling white jeans pockets and blinked at the dirt,_ I wonder why no one ever knew that an eighth Chaos Emerald existed. It sure sounds weird thinking about it. That makes me scared to think of how powerful it alone must be if Shadow needs it to use the Chaos Command. I don't want him to use that awful move-it might hurt him! Hmpf. I wonder if Shadow loves me the way I love him. He certainly hinted that he did but he's never actually said it… Shadow… I wanna' help you find Maria._

Like that sunset on the beach almost a week ago, the clouds resembled hazy streaks, slices in the sky, also escorted in the company of thick, cotton-like clouds, spilling over each other over and over again. All those brilliant, hot colors of orange, purple, pink, and gold highlighted their bottoms and sunlight beamed down as God's glory and favor. Amy inhaled deeply at the sight. How the clouds reminded her of dreams and hopes of life yet to be lived. Everyone had a chance to make of themselves the person they strived to see through the mirror. A person was more than just their reflection: inside, where no one else can reach, is a deep, emotional person, complex and perfect, someone needing comfort, reassurance, love. Amy thought of Shadow and ached to see him.

She figured it was time to go inside the workshop for the day was almost gone. Some of the gang had already entered for the night. Knuckles would stay on the island and Big would go into the jungle where his house sat for the night, so she trudged through the metal door and sat on the ground in a corner, fiddling with the key-chains hanging off her pants.

"Hey, Sonic, when do you think Tails will be done?" Amy clacked two key-chains nervously, "He said around two hours, right? How long has it been?"

"Almost two hours. Don't worry, Am's, Tails is a genius. Shadow's in good hands." Sonic pulled her to his side, "Trust him." He winked and smirked in that way that had at once time melted her heart.

"I know, but…"

"What's really botherin' ya'? I know you better than that after all these years."  
"Don't read me," She poked him, "I don't want to tell you. You'll laugh and think it's one of those little girl things."

"No I won't. I've learned lots about you since you left almost a year ago. You're all grown up and mature-got a job n'stuff!" His genuine smile was encouraging.

"Ok… I'm in love with Shadow-but don't you dare tell anyone!"

Whistling high, Sonic hugged her close, "Wow, that's big news! Think he cares for you back?"  
"I dunno. He's never said but he does know I love him and he hasn't rejected me."

"Ah! He does love you back."

"Don't be stupid-he'd tell me if he did."

"No he wouldn't. It's hard for us dudes to let on that we care about a girl. Took me years before I told Sal."

"Ya, I had to slide it out of him." Sally fixed herself on Amy's other side and hugged her. The three sat silent for a while. Amy's mind swirled. Could Shadow really care and love her? The only person he had ever loved was Maria. Was there room in his soul for her as well? She sure hoped so!

"I'm done!" Tails entered through the door at the end of the room, goggles above his eyes, white gloves on his hands, "Shadow's fine. He'll be sleeping tonight but tomorrow, you all can see him again." He yawned, "I'm feeling bushed. Whadda' ya say we eat and hit the sacks?"

"Alright! Chilidogs?"

"You just had five today, sweetie," Sally pulled him back to her side, "I say we go have seafood and Martenelli."

"Women: hopeless romantics." Sonic rolled his eyes, "Seafood is nasty and slimy-pizza?"

"I think I agree with Sally," Amy smirked mischievously, "Seafood is wicked tasty. I really love fried shrimp and grilled shark steaks."

"Yuck!"

"Too bad Sonic, I like seafood as well! I'll pull out the grill and we'll have a seafood buffet!" Tails opened one of the lockers lined against the wall, shuffled for a minute, and pulled out a grill, utensils, and a folded table, "These lockers are great! They have tons of space!" He announced, closing the locker and locking it firm, "Who'll help me with the fish?"

-

"Metal Arnus has failed me for the last time!" Eggman growled, "I'll just have to fix him and change his programming chip!" The previous night, after the Freedom Fighters had been stupid enough to leave the scrap metal, Eggman had stole the robot away and was now repairing it in his new hidden base. His old one was useless now that government spies had found it. "My plans will NOT be ruined! If Shadow is out of my hands, I'll just enhance Metal Arnus to be able to harness the power of Chaos Command as well! I can't believe I hadn't done this in the first place!" He brutishly shoved some replacement wires through the metal robot's head, droning on, "But I don't know exactly where that last Emerald is! Blasted pink nuisance! Without Metal Arnus, I can't pinpoint the exact location of its whereabouts in the Mystic Ruins! But no worries, I'll be done shortly with his repairs and then I can find the emerald and take over the world! THIS time Sonic WON'T be able to stop me!" He cackled, but not as emphatically as he had done before.

His new base was an underwater dome in the ocean near the Mystic Ruins. There was no way Sonic or anyone else would be able to find him, nevertheless break into this impenetrable base! His genius shocked him every time. The position was perfect, the location was perfect-land was only a few miles away and minutes from his base. And Eggman knew that the eighth Chaos Emerald was hidden somewhere in the jungles surrounding the Mystic Ruins where it had stayed untouched for centuries. The lost Echidna race had been very smart to hide it as they did. The last Chaos Emerald had the power all seven had combined together but only it could be used to use Chaos Command! Even in all seven Chaos Emeralds were used together, they could not be able to use the move-that's what made this specific lost emerald so priceless! Chaos Command used the natural elements of the earth, wind, rain, fire, etc, to cause utter destruction to the desired location in seconds plus the power of the Master Emerald as well!

Eggman plugged in the last wire and flipped the switch for Metal Arnus. "Arise my stupid and failing creation! I have fixed your short-wired brain and given you a new ability to add to your awesome strength: you now possess the abilities to use Chaos Command! Go! Your new mission is to retrieve the eighth Chaos Emerald for me-I have provided the approximate location for you but you will have to find it once you reach the point on the map!"

"Affirmative, Master," Arnus flew from the room, "I will report back in two hours." If Arnus could have remembered Shadow or Sonic, he would have been enraged at his defeat, but Eggman had wisely removed all of Arnus's previous memories so the machine was new once again, stupid and ignorant to anything outside his mission.

-

**-Jennifer Knap: Free-**

Shadow slowly skated around the sleeping pink hedgehog. All the stitches were removed as well as the two chips that would have been causing him constant pain, so he had no worries with those anymore. Now he had to find Maria and tell Amy that he loved her, which was even more difficult than the prospect of wandering city after city. Amy was always growing more precious to him. He didn't fear a rejection, for she had already revealed her love for him. No, it was something else that was keeping him from admitting his to her. But what?

"Amy, wake up," He gently nudged her, "The morning is passing and I need to get going."

"Mm?" Amy stretched, blinked, and opened her eyes to see Shadow leaning over her, "Oh, good morning. Sorry, I'll get up right now." She started to roll up the sleeping bag Tails had provided for her, "How are you?"

"Well." He stood back, arms folded, watching the other sleeping figures. His eyes rested on Sonic and paused.

-

"_Hey that's-"  
That blue hedgehog again of all places!"_

_"I found you-faker!"_

_"Faker! I believe you're the fake hedgehog around here. You're comparing yourself to me? Ha! You aren't even good enough to be my fake!"_

_"I'll make you eat those words!"_

-

"Faker." He smirked a little. Sonic wasn't so bad and he knew that neither of them were truly fakers, but it was still a slight pleasure to cause the blue hedgehog anger at those words. Too bad Sonic was still asleep.

"I am not-you are." Sonic suddenly sat up groggily, "And you're not going anywhere till we find that last Chaos Emerald!"

"So you are awake, are you?" Shadow suavely replied, "That's a change for you. I am going to leave, I have to go."

"Shadow, you are not leaving!" Now Sonic had gotten up and had Shadow's arm in his grip.

Sarcasm and anger passed over Shadow's dark face but he said nothing as Sonic glared and Amy gulped, "If you leave, you'll be takin' Amy away from us and I dun' wanna lose my lil' sis again! You can do whatever it is you're wan'in to do after we finish this!"

"Finding Maria is more important to me than locating a Chaos Emerald. Besides," He sounded like he had on the ARK, "Rouge and the Chaotix are also searching for it. I know they'll find it. There's no point in me helping you now."

"You are just a faker if you can't do this with us."  
"Guys, guys! Don't start this again!" Amy stepped in-between them: Sonic smirking, Shadow glaring with balled fists. "Sonic, let Shadow and I find Maria on our own. I know you guys can do fine without us. Pretty please?" Her eyes twinkled more than usual, "For me?"

"uh…f-fine!" Sonic growled, "But for you only! I'll get you later, faker!" He knew they wouldn't be able to fight without Shadow since the silky black hedgehog was the only one who possessed the power to use the Chaos Command.

"Ha! You're not worthy to be my fake. Pfff!"

"You-"  
"Eeek! Sonic, don't be a savage!"

"Sorry Ams-that guy peeves me at times."

"We should get going then. Let's go Amy."

"I can't run as fast as you can, Shadow, wait up!" She ran out the door after him, leaving Sonic to watch his sleeping fiancée impatiently. He was anxious to start the day, especially with Shadow gone. The best person to have this strange Chaos Emerald in his hands was Shadow.

-

"_Maria… I just don't know anymore. Perhaps… if I could go down there, I could find out why I was created."_

_"Shadow…"  
"I just don't know."_

-

Maria felt betrayed. Two days ago, when Shadow had showed up to kill her father, she had been forcibly removed from the situation to "safety" with was a small house on a naval airbase in the middle of nowhere. It was hot, humid, and dry and her hands were already cracking.

But the heat wasn't the worst of her worries. Shadow was out there, no doubt searching for her. She turned the Chaos Emerald over in her hands slowly. He had touched this emerald… his hands had turned it over the same way hers was doing now. He had held it close, for it was everything to him, and she now knew this was the only tie she had to him.

"I still don't remember everything…" Her memories were returning at a snail's pace. If only Shadow were there. Surely he could tell her everything and then she would remember. "Shadow… Sayonara...Why had I told him that? What had been going on for me to tell him goodbye and in such a hopeless way? He'll never find me out here…" She sobbed.

Her father was a government official and she hadn't ever realized it. Everyday at seven, he would come down the stairs, eat a muffin, and head out to his cozy desk job in a skyscraper, twentieth floor. Everyday at six pm, he'd come home, eat dinner, play with her, and then go to bed. Just a perfect family. It was too perfect and now she realized why they had always been so wealthy. Spoiled, she had been given everything she ever wanted for pleasure and fashion with money the government had been providing.

Still, there had been a void that Shadow had finally filled since she first saw him. "Space Colony ARK… Perhaps there's some information I can look up on the computer." And so she pulled the chair to her and started typing.

-

"Arnus to Eggman. I am standing in front of the ruins of the Echidna tribal city. The readings of the Emerald tell me it's very close by. I will have it soon. Arnus out." Arnus read the rapidly-beeping tracker on his arm again and frowned. He was right over it, but it wasn't here. It must be buried in the ground. He'd just have to dig it out.

Eggman had built a whole array of digging tools into his body, just what he needed. Arnus's whole arm changed into a large drill, silver and shining new, that efficiently started drilling into the ground rapidly. The beeping was increasing until it finally changed to a solid buzz. This must be it! Suddenly something hard blocked the drill. Perplexed, Arnus lifted his arm from the deep hole he had dug. The whole was over twenty feet in depth and ten feet wide. A small block of some sort was poking up through the dirt. The designs on its shell matched those of the ruins standing to his right.

"Arnus to Eggman: I have dug at the precise location and have hit a hard surface. Perhaps I have hit some ruins-an old template possibly-I will have the emerald within minutes. Arnus out." He dug around the ruins till the whole roof was now showing through the dirt. The emerald must be inside the ruins! Arnus's arm morphed again into a laser cutter, in which he sliced a perfect circle out of the top of the ruins and pushed it aside. _I have found the old Echidna shrine of the Master Emerald before they rebuilt in on Angel Island,_ He turned on a dozen lights form his body and fell through the hole into the crumbling temple,_ The Chaos Emerald must have been left behind to be forgotten so that its destructive power would never damage another race._

Indeed, the once magnificent temple was nothing more than a large, empty room of vine-ridden, deeply cracked walls, and insects that crawled constantly all over the floor. This place was a tomb. The beauty of the temple, though, could still be noticed by the faded designs on the walls, the golden floor covered in layers of thick dust, and the carved figures on each side of the temple. In the center sat a single table of marble with a large, round, clay object projected on a holder on the center of the table. Arnus picked up the mini globr and crumpled in to small bits. Out of the remains, he sensed a hard, sharp object in his hand, around the same size of the Chaos Emeralds.

"Arnus to Eggman. I am standing inside a ruined Echidna template buried by the soils. I have found the Chaos Emerald and will report back to you."

"Very good Arnus! Come back immediately and if anyone tries to stop you, eliminate them!"

"Roger."

-

"It's Metal Arnus!" Rouge peeped from behind the ruined wall, "He's got the eighth Chaos Emerald! What're we gonna' do, Vector?"

"Keep your cool Rouge, this is very unlike you. I say we attack him!"

"Ya, attack, let's get em'!" Charmy was all enthusiasm."

"Our attack must be perfectly coordinated. Eggman has obviously rebuilt that robot and who knows what else it's capable on now. Be on your guard. I sense it's far more powerful now with that emerald."  
"He's getting in my way of my jewels!" Rouge grit, "I'm going to get him! Follow me, you guys!" She skated out into the clearing bold as a king, "Hand over that Chaos Emerald, you piece of scrap metal! It's mine and I'm going to take it from you either way!"

"Identify yourselves!" Arnus gripped his master's emerald solid, "Anyone who tries to stop me will be eliminated! Do you stop me?"

"We do!" She spat, throwing out sharp, plasma hearts at him, "Hyaa! Take that you!" But he disappeared before the darts could reach their target, "What?"

"He's using the Chaos Emerald." Espio logically stated, concentrating hard, "We need Sonic. Charmy: fly back and gather the others! If we don't stop this thing, Eggman will get his greasy hands on the last Chaos Emerald and earth is done for! We'll try to hold him here-go fast!"

"Yes!" Charmy buzzed off.

"Now let's destroy this thing!" Vector tried being optimistic, "I just don't like this whole disappearing thing."

"It makes my stomach jump." Rouge looked around, "Where is he?"

"I will destroy you!" A white plasma net dropped from above onto the unsuspecting bat and gator, but Espio had managed to dodge a second before it hit. "All foes will be eliminated!" Arnus repeated dumbly.

"I don't think so!" Espio blended into the grasses, running around the net, cutting it in a flash, and throwing his four-pointed star picks at Arnus. The picks, unfortunately, did nothing more than knick the shining side of Arnus and fall to the ground. "My attack has no affect on him!"

"Let me try!" Rouge spun around, sending violent winds at Arnus, but the machine didn't waver.

"What about this?" Vector hacked up a few pink acid bubbles. One hit Arnus, eating away at his foot, but the rest were so slow that he easily dodged them. "I see those are affective, but far too slow! We're never going to get this guy down!"

"That's not the goal anymore-we just have to keep him around for a few more minutes. Where IS Charmy?" Rouge dodged a fire ball.

"No more play!" the icy voice announced, "Be gone!" And he started twirling slow at first, but then his speed increased and darts, blades, fire balls, ice stalagmites, and electric shocks flew out of him so fast that Rouge and Vector never saw what was coming. Only Espio, once again, had been able to flee and hide safely as one with his surroundings. There appeared to be no weak spot to this guy! Their attacks were either too weak or too slow. Logic suggested that since he was made of metals, acid and ice perhaps could stop him-as well as electricity. How was he going to stop this thing?

-

"Guys, guys!" Charmy's wings buzzed loudly, "I got here as fast as I could! We've found that last emerald but Arnus has it and we need you to help us take him down because he's really strong and we can't do it without you!"

"BLAST! This is why I didn't want Shadow to leave! I can't believe that metal menace found it already! I thought he was dead or something-whatev'. We only have six Chaos Emeralds and I can't go Super without the last Chaos Emerald."

"But you can still use Chaos Control," Tails tossed the blue emerald Sonic's way, "And if we can get our hands on the last Chaos Emerald, you can go Super."

"Good plan! If we work together, we can stop this freak! Let's go! Lead the way Charmy!"

"Alright!"

The fighters ran off after Charmy, through the tall jungle vines, over streams, and past confused archeologists. The sun was blazing but its hot rays could barely reach through the dense foliage. Once Sonic cleared the jungle to the cleaning of the remaining Echidna pyramid, he gasped. Rouge lay to the side, unconscious, badly burnt and bleeding heavily, as well as Vector, who was suffering from the same injuries. Espio wasn't to be seen anywhere, Sonic only guessing what had happened to the poor chameleon.

"You'll pay for what you did to my friends!" He pointed accusingly at the hovering Arnus, "And I'll take that Chaos Emerald from you!"

"No, you will perish!" Arnus sneered, "No on can defeat the mighty Arnus!"

"Is this guy full of himself or what? You guys hold him back while I ready myself!"

"Ok, Mr. Sonic!" Cream hopped on Big's head, "Hit him, Mr. Big!"

"Oooooh, k!" Big smashed his metal bat into the side of the much smaller figure, sending it crashing into one of the walls, breaking the wall in a terrific pile of rubble. Cream cheered from the easy defeat of their foe, but stopped as ground started to shake suddenly! What was going on?  
"Oh no!" Knuckles, who had come down from Angel Island at the strong presence of the Chaos energy, was holding the Master Emerald that was shrunken to fist size, "He's done it now!"

"What do you mean, Knuckles?" Sonic was panicking, "What's going on?"

"Everyone: climb onto that pyramid!" He pointed to the ruins. The Echidna statue sitting to the left in the front on the pyramid was moving. Its head was spinning and the arms were moving up and down in a freaky, mummified fashion. Get to safety!"

From the ground, buildings shoved their ways to the surface. All around them, the long lost Echidna city, once magnificent and beautiful, appeared old, eroded, and dirty, but all in tact! The lined fire pillars poked through the ground, the altar at the end of them. Hills formed once again as it had been thousands of years ago, walls, paths-everything. Knuckles watched in awe as his past formulated before his eyes. "It's-it's the city of the Echidnas!" He breathed, "It's all back! Charmy, where did Arnus find the last Chaos Emerald?" He grabbed the bee forcibly.

"Ah! We saw him coming out of a hole in the ground!"

"It must have been the ancient Master Emerald Shrine! The last Chaos Emerald was put down there for protection and now that it's gone, the city was triggered and it's arisen from the ground!"

"This is unreal!" Rouge gazed at the stone structures, "But it's so…"

"Dead." Knuckles shifted the Master Emerald in his hand. "Whoa, what's Angel Island doing?" He backed up a pace, shielding his eyes from the sun. The small island was flying towards the cliff by the ruins where it had split from in the mysterious past. "It's-it's returning to its original place!" True, the island was lowering to the sea. With a low, loud groan, it sealed itself to the side of the cliff, where it had once sat long ago.


	7. Chapter Seven: Maria, Amy

I just keep writing this story so fast I don't know what to do with myself! When I'm not writing, I'm wishing I was! I JUST HAVE HOW I HAVE TO WAIT HOURS BEFORE MY UPDATES APPEAR ON MY STORIES! IT'S SO EMBERASSING TO HAVE ERRORS! ARRRG! smiles

PS: You guys are great for the reviews-thanks for pointing out the errors! It helps my writing tons, tons, tons!

-

Sonic, Shadow, etc- none of it belongs to me. They belong to SEGA. Remember that well.

-

**STORY TITLE: Just A Shadow In the World**

-

CHAPTER SEVEN: Maria + Amy

"Shadow, please put me down."

"I don't need you to slow me down. Besides, you're not that heavy. Pretty light actually."

"But I feel silly being carried like this."

"Can you grind?"

"No."

"Run as fast as me?"

"Fine: I admit I can't!"

"Then I'm going to keep carrying you." Shadow clutched Amy firmly in his strong arms. All day he had carried her over the hot White Jungle, through the cool Aquatic Mines, and now they were entering another blazing hot area: the deserts where Eggman had once built his hidden base. Amy would have been slowing him down but it was easy to carry her and he enjoyed the way her arms slid so easily over his neck and the feel of her hair against his face. Stray strands often tickled the sides of his face but he enjoyed the sensation of her presence.

**-Rachael Lampa: You Lift Me Up-**

"Hey, Shadow?"

"Yes?" He jumped backwards on the rail, then jumped again to face forward, "What is it?"

"Do you love me?" Amy's muffled voice was very small against his chest, but he had heard it loud and clear.

"I…Well…"

"I'm sorry, don't tell me if it would hurt you or me." Her voice was downcast with a hopeless sadness. Perhaps it hadn't been her place to ask him such a personal question. If he truly loved her, Shadow should tell her himself without pressing or urging.

"It's alright, Amy." He felt her snuggling closer and gulped, "We're almost there. By tracking the signal from the Chaos Emerald, I'm able to locate it's current destination. Only a few more minutes."

"How many miles?"

"Forty or so." He sighed. The sun was gruelingly hot. Every part of him would be drenched by now in a sticky, slimy sweat if he hadn't been running at such a fast pace.

"I can't believe you can run so fast. Are you faster than Sonic?"

"I can't say. I've never raced him before to find out."

"You two should race when all this mess is over."

"Perhaps we should," He smirked. Smalltalk could be somewhat interesting at times, depending on the person and the situation. "But I know I would beat him. I have the advantage of power on my side."

"Ha, ha! No one that I know yet can beat my brother," She boasted, "He's so fast that Eggman's quickest machines slacked far behind!"

"I'm not exactly a machine." Shadow skidded to a stop outside the premises of a small village. This definitely reflected a government-run town of only a few necessary buildings: one grocery store, gas station, and office building. A few houses bordered the town and a barbed-wire fence circled the town in a complete circle.

"We can't get in there…" Amy almost wined, but reminded herself that she was older, more mature and above that, and tried to be optimistic. "If you had a Chaos Emerald, you could just use Chaos Control, but you don't."

"That's true, but there's always a way in. We'll wait here for the day and when someone opens the gate, we'll go in."

This is going to be a while… With few trees around and a blistering hot sun, Amy had not a shred of good humor left in her mood. Hours of merciless sun were sure to scathe her delicate skin.

-

Elsewhere, far away, where the sun was already far lost from sight, the Freedom Fighters sat around one of huge fire pillars in the lost Echidna village. Knuckles was still in awe at the massive size of the city, lost in his own world; Tails was brushing his two tails slowly, picking out rubble and dirt, and Sonic was lying behind a log with Sally beside him. Rouge and Vector had been taken back to the city of Metropolis by Espio so only Charmy remained, feeling somewhat singular without his team, but enjoying the conversation matter that Tails often brought up.

No one had seen anything since of Metal Arnus after Big had thrown his against the now utterly destroyed wall, but he wasn't gone and they all subconsciously knew it, though no one brought it up. The eighth Chaos Emerald was still to be found yet, knowing that Arnus was the last one to have held it, no one either dared to search for it through the rubble. It was fear of the fight for one that kept them back. Without Shadow, they felt as though fighting was in vain and they would all perish. But Shadow was off searching for Maria. What could they do?

-

"_Shadow, protect them… all the people on that planet down there… Never let anyone hold you back from this for it is your purpose in life… to give them happiness, hope, love… you are the only one who can give that to them…Do not think of me in times of trouble, but think of those who depend on you…"_

Shadow's eyes popped open, "Amy… Amy wake up. Something's going on with Sonic."

"What's going on?"

"I can feel something bad will happen if I don't go back and help Sonic."

"Oh, no!" Amy felt shivers run through her spine, "But what about Maria?"

"I'll have to find her now. I can't wait any longer. They're relying on me. You stay here and I'll be back soon. I promise and I never break my word."

"I believe you," She lay back on the cool sand, "Just please don't take that long. I get very lonely."

"I won't-that too I promise-I'll never leave you, alright?"

"Alright. Go find her. Sonic's life could be at stake."

Shadow passed her a compassioned look before he skated off to the city's front gate. The night would be his ally, the darkness his mask. He would trick the front guard into letting him in the city, something he couldn't do during the day when it was light. "You there: open up this gate! I am a sergeant and I demand you act like a soldier with dignity and let me in before I report you!"

"Wh-who are you?" The young soldier clasped the bolt lock to the steel gate nervously, "What's your name?"

"Are you doubting my word, foolish boy?" Shadow almost roared, "I will have you relieved!"

"No-sorry sir!" The lock whined, the gate opened, the soldier stood perfectly tall, and Shadow slid through without a whisper, leaving the man confused and afraid that he had let in a criminal and would surely be relieved for sure.

_Maria, where are you?_ The tracker in his palm buzzed almost constantly. He skated towards the three out-skirted houses, pausing, shifting the tracker from house to house, until at the last one it ceased beeping and buzzed constantly. _Maria…_

He progressed quickly towards the house and stopped underneath an open window. Through the screen, he could see a form lying comfortably beneath the light-weight blankets, occasionally sighing restfully. He could see the soft clumps of blond hair and his heart trembled at the sight.

Shadow took a breath and removed the screen carefully. When it was set aside, he jumped up through the window, onto the carpet, tracker off, and looked around the room. Mostly bare, one dresser filled the section left of the window, a closet near the door to the right, and her bed which lined the right wall.

The emerald was somewhere in the room, he knew, but he felt uneasy searching through her personal clothes to find it, so instead, Shadow walked over to the side of the bed. Maria was pure childish loveliness. Matted hair, small smile, silky skin. He just had to touch her, see if she was real, although that was the last thing he should do. His hand tickled he cheek, then recoiled, but only to come back to her soft hair.

"Who's there?" Maria whispered. She hadn't even moved and her voice caught him off guard, "Who are you?"

"It's me, Shadow."

"Shadow! You came at last! I kept the Chaos Emerald for you as you wanted me to, but are you alright now?"

"Perfectly. I didn't know you were awake," Shadow hid in the corners of the room, away from the light of the moon cast against the bed. Her form was perfectly outlined by the rays, but that only added to the contrast of darkness for him. "I need the Chaos Emerald. Sonic is relying on me and if I can't have it, I won't be able to fight for him and win."

"But who's Sonic and why can't I see you?"

"Please Maria, do it for me, hand it over."

Obediently, she pulled the glowing gem from underneath the lumps of her pillow, "But what will I have to remember you by when you take this away?"  
"Our memories," His hands covered hers, "The ones I will tell you of so you can remember."

"Yes, tell me, I need to know. I don't remember." Maria could now see his tear-streaked face from the moon, which only added to her own tears, "I only know that I loved you."

"Do you still love me?"

"Yes, you are the dearest brother I could ever have."  
He swallowed, his throat dry, "I'm not sure what the date was when Professor Gerald Robotnik created me. I only know that when I was alive, you were always there, from day one. The bond we shared was perfect bliss. Many times you and I would look at earth from the Space Colony ARK, which orbited the planet, and we'd discuss it. You had never lived on earth-neither of us-so it was a mystery. The professor was your grandfather. He loved you more than life itself and without you, he had no purpose to survive." He paused as her hands gripped his firm, "I was created as the Ultimate Lifeform, although my purpose was unknown to me at the time. The professor had been working on the prototype of what he called the Ultimate Lifeform. It added to the confusion of myself, but I had no idea what he was doing. You had always been a sickly child and the day the military came to stop the professor and shut down the ARK," here his voice croaked mournfully, "All you had wanted was to save me. You didn't think of yourself-just me. I remember running through the colony. You were weak and sick, but you made it to the capsule cargo room. Before I could stop you, you trapped me in one of the cargo capsules and that's when you said-"

"For all the people on that planet. Do it for me Shadow, for all those people…" Her voice whispered.

"Yes… Then you let me go and I thought you were dead. I didn't see what happened to you but I knew you had either died alone in that room or that someone had shot you."

"Oh, Shadow, I remember you now. I remember how I loved and adored you and grandpa. I was just four when the professor created you. The first time I saw you, I realized that you were just a little child and I instantly took you in my arms and loved you from day one. I wanted you to have anything you wanted, despite the little I could ever have given you. My one wish was to see you happy and loved on this planet. ARK was never for you."

They both cried silently together for a few minutes. Neither moved nor spoke. The memories were so great it overtook them with force neither had known for years.

"Maria… I have something to tell you."

"Yes?" She sniffled, "Please tell me."  
"I have found the happiness you wanted of me."

"Shadow, who is it?" Maria hardly breathed.

"A young hedgehog named Amy Rose. I love her with my life but I've never had the skills to show emotion easily. How can I tell her? She's already told me that she loves me and I know I need to tell her before I lose her."

"It's simpler than it seems. Come into my arms, Shadow." He eagerly obeyed, climbing onto the bed, hardly believing that the same arms he had felt so often in space were the same ones holding him now. Maria spoke close to his ear, softly and tenderly, "When you love someone, you have to tell them. It will destroy you if you don't. The worst the person can do is tell you they don't love you, but since you know Amy loves you back, you must tell her. Nothing bad will come of this I know for certain. I'm so proud of you, my Shadow, my precious brother. You have fulfilled my wish and I know my new life was meant for this. You found me and I don't want to lose you again, but you must tell her. She will love you forever. The only concern I have is losing you again."

"We both live on the same planet and tread the same earth. There is no way you will ever lose me again."

"I want something to have of you."

"I have nothing to offer accept…"

"What?"

"I need a pair of scissors."  
"Oh, I have some in my drawer," Hopping eagerly from the bed, she left him for a minute, returning quickly to be close to him again, "Here. What are you doing?"

"I'll leave this with you until I return, which I promise I will."

"You never break your promises."

"No, I don't." He handed her a snippet of his silky fur for her to keep, "May I have the Chaos Emerald?"

"Of course." She laid the emerald in his lap and set the fur on her dresser, "You're leaving now?" Regret echoed through her voice.

"I have to go, but don't be sad, for when I leave, that means I will return soon."

"I know." Maria wiped her eyes again, "Tell Amy I hope to see her when you return." Leaning down, she placed a soft, warm kiss on Shadow's cheek. He returned one to her before sliding off the side of the bed. "Sayonara, Shadow the hedgehog, until you return."

"Sayonara, Maria," He jumped through the window and out of sight.

-

"Amy, rise, we have to go."

"I dreamt that you and I were together, running through large fields."

"Now is not the time for reminiscence." His voice was urgent. The sun would be rising soon and with the light came the worst battle he knew was marching with the horizon. "I have the Chaos Emerald back so I can warp to Sonic's current location but I need you to hold my hand."

"Shadow, wait!" Amy grabbed his arm, "If we don't survive through this, can you please tell me something? I know it's wrong of me to pressure you so cruelly like this-I know people say that love is patient, love is kind, love understands, but I need to know if you love me to make my heart have peace. If we die and I don't know how you see me, I don't know how I could spend eternity without you."

"Amy… I guess…" This question was so simple, yet so difficult to answer, "I once heard that love is forever. If you truly love someone, then no matter what happens, no matter the situation or the words passed between the people, love will always find a way through. Before I took the time to get to know you for who you are, I saw nothing more of you than a silly, immature girl who had worthless crushes and shallow ambitions. Now I know I was wrong to belittle you so," His arms slid around her thin frame, their faces closing slowly, "And do you know who taught me the true meaning of the word love?"

"N-no," His breath was warm on her face. Amy felt herself floating on the clouds, hot and cold, tired and hyper at the same time.

**-Amy Grant: Simple Things-**

"You did. I found in you someone who would love me for who I was. I found in you a deep, compassionate individual who took the time to see through a person's outer layers to the true soul hidden far within. I had buried myself deep in my hate and anger, but you brought the best of me to the surface. Amy, my perfect Amy," Shadow's fingers swept across her lips, "I love you and I will as long as I live."

"Forever." She murmured as the gap closed almost completely.  
"Yes, till the end of time,"

"I love you Shadow."

"I love you, Amy." Their mouths closed ever so slowly as time stopped just for them, for the bliss of their perfect moment. Shadow soaked her in, every drop, every second as the seconds froze to capture the perfect expression of pure love. Every single sweet fragrance emitting from her soft body, he breathed in to remember her scent. He never wanted to let her go, for in his arms, she fit so perfectly, so warm and safe. A sharp feeling of defense for Amy arose in his subconscious as the kiss's passion increased. No one would touch this girl without his protection. If anyone tried to hurt her, he'd rip their lungs out. Precious as diamonds, more innocent than the lilies were beautiful, Shadow vowed mentally to love and protect this young girl forever. "Amy…" He whispered into her neck, "I wish we could stay in this moment just a little longer, but there are other people relying on us and so…"

"Yes, I know…" She also hesitated to break from his soothing arms, "Take us away to the sky, Shadow."

He looked down at her smiling face. A peace he had found at last reflected from her eyes to his. "Yes…" And with determination in the form of a white Chaos Emerald clutched through his fingers, and Amy's hand in his other, Shadow threw the emerald towards the stars and catching it, yelled the ever-familiar words of "Chaos Control!" in which they were raptured away through the coming morning.


	8. Chapter Eight: Emotional Showdown

This is the hardest chapter to write yet, especially at 9:15 in the morning when I haven't eaten anything and my stomach is killing me…

-

Sonic, Shadow, etc- none of it belongs to me. They belong to SEGA. Remember that well.

-

**STORY TITLE: Just A Shadow In the World**

-

CHAPTER EIGHT: Emotional Showdown

Shadow had miscalculated the time difference between his last location versus the current location of the Freedom Fighters. As the sun was just rising in the desert, it had been high in the sky at the Mystic Ruins. The fighters themselves were restlessly standing around the rubble left from the wall, arguing over who should search through it. None of them wanted to search through the chunks of rock-who knew what would pop up from the blackness beneath?  
Sonic volunteered, finally, to test the wall and be the brave one, as usual, in which no one disapproved accept Sally, who didn't dare speak up. So he approached the rocks and pulled a large slab away, then another and another. Everyone was stone still, quieter than a mouse. Slab after slab was slid out of the way, an occasional grunt from the weight, and then another. Soon the pile nothing more than a few cracked chucks of gritty stone. Sonic heaved heavily, sweat glistening down his cheek, puffing wearily. Guilty, Knuckles finally aided him in removing the last large chunks with little effort.

"You're all so much help," He sneered angrily, "Real friends." No one spoke from the shame. They had never felt this type of fear before.

"Hey, I think I see it!" Sonic suddenly exclaimed enthusiastically, "The Chaos Emerald!"

"Let me see," Knuckles shoved him aside. Below the rubble shone a slight sparkle, "Yup, that's gotta' be it. I'll get it for you." He stepped bravely forward and reached down towards the glitter.

"Destroy, destroy." A faint voice growled vacantly under the rocks, echoing with the void of lifelessness, "Revenge will be mine!" A few seconds passed. Knuckles backed up slightly, next to Sonic, as the rest of the team backed up a few more paces than what was necessary.

"What was that?"

"M-Metal Arnus!" Charmy squeaked.

The rocks blasted to pieces. A seething Metal Arnus roared violently. Metal tentacles shot out from the sides of its body, grabbing Sally, Cream, Antoine, and Charmy in its slimy grip, "All will perish before Metal Arnus!" The robot sliced the air with his voice.

"Get him!" Sonic screamed, "Get his arms off my fiancée and the other fighters!"

"Mwu ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" Arnus's low laugh was mocking. Sally and the other fighters, who had been screaming for help, fell lifeless to the ground, eyes closed, and barely breathing. Their bodies were popping with strange goo that slowly hardened their skin to scaly bark-like flakes.

"You-you monster! What did you do to them?" Sonic leaned over the princess, "She's not responding!"

"According to my scans, she's been injected with a venomous poison that, if not removed right away, will kill her! Their skin-see how it's mutilating into this-this crust? There's more of the same going on inside where we can't see." Tails gulped, "Sonic, we have to destroy this thing, but without that eighth Chaos Emerald, I don't know how we can defeat him. Sally and the rest of our friends won't make it much longer."

"We have to trick the stupid thing."

"It's far from stupid." His voice was low and frightened.

"Don't be scared Tails, all of us are a team! We fight together-let's go!"

"But we're not a whole team anymore," Tails raced after Sonic, "We're broken and incomplete."

They raced back to the scene where Knuckles was dodging the tentacles and other attacks with his fists. He was getting tired, they could tell, and there was no one left but he, Tails, and Big, and Bunnie. She was engaged against Metal Arnus as well, flashing her guns around and dodging with her long, metal legs. Big wasn't much good, no matter how bulky and strong he was, for he was almost too dumb and slow to make much of a difference.

"I'm the only one besides Shadow who can use Chaos Control and he's the only one besides this jerk that can use Chaos Command." Sonic pulled out the blue Chaos Emerald, thinking aloud in a breathy voice, "But if this is what it'll take to fetch th'last Emerald. I can't let this dude use that move-he'll kill us all." Turning, he yelled to his friends, "Guys! Distract him so I can use the Chaos Emerald to get at him!"

"Roger!" They responded, pumped from the fight. Fire constantly blew from the robot; acid arrows and plasma darts shot out from its hands every second-by the dozen-and those metallic arms were flying around, searching for fresh victims.

Sonic ran around to the back of Metal Arnus, hoping to hide from its sensors, but it seemed more interested in him than with anyone else. He must have been considered its most threatening foe. Metal Arnus's stone bulk groaned heavily as it turned on it's main frame. Determined, Sonic glared up at the minion, new purpose erupting from his powerful words, "Chaos Control!" And he sped forward, ready to strike the machine and take the emerald, but Metal Arnus disappeared faster than his attack could hit! "Not this again! Well, two can play this game." He vanished himself. If Arnus thought that old move was going to stop him, he'd just learn the true nature of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Bunnie, Tails, and Knuckles stood together with Big on the side, unwarily, looking at their surroundings-accept for Big who was wondering what Froggy was doing back at his place at that moment. A strange haze had settled over the mossy grounds, cool, relaxing. The sky was clear, birds were chirping somewhere off in the jungle, rippling waters from the streams gargled peacefully.

"This guy is such a menace!" Knuckles growled, "Tails: scan the area!"

"I have-twice-there's no sign of him! No traces of plasma energy, fuel, or hot air. And where'd Sonic go?"

"I have a bad feelin' about this," Bunnie readied herself; "The climax has yet to rise."

She was right. The ground started to rumble steadily, the old buildings cracking and crumbling magnificently. A low growl filled the hot air. Bunnie searched the skies, "He's comin' back! Sonic, do somethin'-we can't take this guy anymore!"

"If only my Tornado II was here but it's non-functional!" Tails pouted, "I broke the landing gear on it again so it's sitting uselessly at my shop! Its gun could certainly cause damage to this freako!"

"And we need to get Sally and the rest to a doctor-they're gonna' die!"

"Chaos Control!" Sonic suddenly shouted from nowhere, hitting an invisible object in the air. An ear-shattering crack erupted from the un-seeable objects, red liquid spilling from Arnus's life tubes, "I'll teach you to hurt my friends!" The earth rumbled heavily as Sonic fought the minion with his whole will. Sounds of scraping metal and explosions sparked the air and all the fighters below could do was to stare at the effects flying from the invisible battle above their heads and dodge the sizzling fluid as it sprayed the soil.

"Sonic!" Tails watched the hedgehog formulate in the air. Something was wrong-very wrong! Arnus was gripping an unconscious, bleeding Sonic by the throat. Slow-motion, Sonic was thrown clear of the ruins, far across the sky, farther than Tails or Knuckles could fathom ever to see. "Sonic, no Sonic!" Tails burst into tears, "Don't die-you can't, not when I need you now! You and I have always saved the world together-you just can't die now!"

"I think you better shift your attention elsewhere!" Knuckles ripped Tails from his small, pathetic mourning, "This is our last hope!"

"No, it's not!" Another voice blast through the zone, "Chaos Control!"

"Shadow!" Bunnie clapped, "He's back and he can use the Chaos Command!" New hope clutched the small leftover team. Did they dare believe that victory wasn't impossible to dream of at last?

"Ya, this is if he can get the emerald from that monster!"

The monster had grown in size to a considerable bulk. Some would say it was the size of a rather large skyscraper. It had surely taken after it's now-deceased older brother, Metal Sonic, rendering himself to a similar shape as the Metal Overlord had in the last large fight, accept the difference with this menace was not only color, but choice of weapons and the overall shape. Arnus reeked with pure evil, diligent to the bitter end of his mission, powerful and heartless, willing to destroy anything, no matter the cost of the loss.

"Destroy!" Metal Arnus looked towards the sky. Hundreds of car-sized missiles broke free and spun through the air, "Targets: Metropolis, Casinopolis, Harboropolis, Lumberopolis, Countryopolis!" He shook. Two seconds later, earthquake-shattering booms exploded hundreds of miles from every direction, cracking the ground and upsetting the fighters' sense of balance. The cities burned, people were dying from the explosion and destruction, and buildings had fallen in massive piles of smoke and flying dust-thick dirt.

"He's destroyed all those cities-oh, the people!" Tails shuttered fearfully, "I can't believe this!"

-

Shadow was a professional in the arts of the Chaos Control, unlike Sonic, who had only learned how to use it for invisibility. He whipped around the top of the robot, invisible, and with a shielded aura around his body. "I will defeat it once and for all and teach that worthless Eggsack a lesson!" He spat furiously, "For Sally and Cream-for Sonic, Amy, and all those innocent people you tried to eliminate for your selfish desires! For all the people you've killed!"

"Identification as Shadow the Hedgehog: the Ultimate Lifeform," Arnus boomed, "You will be destroyed."

"I think not! Chaos Spear!" Electric shocks bolted from his hands, shocking the monstrous beast, "Chaos Control!" Shadow shot downward, breaking into the main storage area of Metal Arnus: the stomach. It was empty inside accept for, against the wall to the farthest left, hung the eighth Chaos Emerald, connected to translucent tubes leading to Arnus's life energy. "I have it now…" He cautiously stepped forward to grab the treasure, but it started to heat up hundreds of degrees over, glowing with red radiance, too hot for the average touch to withstand. "What the? No! It must be powering up the Chaos Command! I have to stop it!" He lunged for the emerald and grabbed it, screaming as his hands burned, but, with a power he had not realized he had, ripped the emerald from its bindings. "Chaos Control!" He yelled one last time. The two Chaos Emeralds coursed reviving energy back and forth through his veins: power he desperately needed to keep him alive and strong.

"Error, error." Arnus paused, "Eighth Chaos Emerald lost. Searching, searching. Chaos Emerald gone. New mission: find Chaos Emerald."

"He's got it!" Bunnie burst into relieved tears, "Do yur' stuff Shadow!"

"Some people fight because they wish to be honored with gold ribbons and fame," Shadow slowly walked up beside them, regretting what he was going to have to do, "Others fight to kill the enemy just because they despise them."  
"What do you fight for, Shadow?" Amy tried to hold her tears back. Before, he had ordered her to stay hidden behind the large pyramid now looming in the center of the ruins, but she had disobeyed him just to touch him one last time. Imagining a life without Shadow was so stunning now; Amy bit her lower lip tremendously.

"At one time I fought for the promise I had to Maria. Now… Now I fight for all the people on this planet that she wanted me to protect. I do this for her and for you," He turned to her, "And for everyone else that deserves to have the same chance at life. I fight not because I have no choice, but because it's the right thing to do. I will keep my promise to Maria and to you. Remember that I love you even if I don't survive." His eyes told her so.

"D-don't-don't say…" She hiccupped through the choking tears, "You will survive! I know you will, you're the Ultimate Life! I know the power you have within you is from your heart and the heart is the driving force of everyone. If you truly want to survive, you will! Survive for me, Shadow."

He slid a finger down her arm, blankly, and then ran forward without saying a word. He didn't look back for it was too difficult to see her this way. Behind him, Amy crumpled into a mass of tears and sobs with Bunnie and Tails comforting her to no avail

**-Sonic Heroes: Dark Theme-**

_The purpose… I do this for you, Maria_, the white Chaos Emerald fell to the ground as he ran, but the pink one, locked safely in his hands, started glowing as it had within Metal Arnus the minutes before. The previous Chaos Emerald he had owned was useless now that this one was his. They couldn't meld, couldn't share power for the attack he was about to perform. _For all the people on this planet… just as you wanted of me because I love you. I feel the power of this emerald reaching the core of my body, but I've never used Chaos Command before. How do I do this? Give me the insight and strength to use this and survive-to make things right._

"Eighth Chaos Emerald located!" Metal Arnus's house-sized hand spun downward at Shadow, "Prepare to die, you foolish creature!"

"No! I will destroy you and make things right!" He picked up speed, "Chaos Command!" His person shot into the air high above the Metal Arnus, thousands of volts of energy pulsing through him, "I command you to destroy Metal Arnus!" And with one point, a blinding ray of light shot from his hand, breaking the machine before everyone's eyes in a spectacular explosion, "Now I command you to heal those that were sacrificed in this fight!" More, this time thinner rays of different colors, shot out of his fingers down onto Sally, Cream, Sonic, and all those that were hurt. Shadow felt more power than he ever experienced by using Chaos Control and it thrilled his wild side. Hot pink and white light had totally engulfed him and whatever command he wanted, the emerald obeyed. "Lastly, I command of you to restore the cities destroyed and the lives lost!" One last massive energy-zapping command and the buildings rebuilt themselves, people revived, applauding this miracle-everything was once again set to rights.

But, no, something horrible was happening to him. The powerful, rocketing energy Shadow had been soaking in before was dissipating and he felt instantly drained. So drained, he couldn't keep his eyes open. Perhaps this is how it was supposed to be, just perhaps. It seemed so right to save the world and then disappear into the past, no one ever knowing what he had done. The mission was complete; his purpose was through. There was no reason to fight the fading glimmer left inside his heart. No reason. No thoughts as he fell fainted. Just blissful peace.

"Shadow!" Amy screeched, "He's falling!" The Chaos Emerald plopped down on the damp grass. "Catch him!"

"I got him!" Knuckles ran, skidded in the grass, and grabbed the limp hedgehog in his arms seconds before making contact, "He's breathing, but barely."  
"Tails, do something!"

"It appears that the Chaos Command sucked all his energy. He'll be fine but I can't say when he'll wake up. Most likely around a week or so. Don't worry Ames, he'll pull through. You know how Shadow is."

She sniffled over his body, "He's the only one I've loved this way. I hope you're right."

"Yeah, it'll all be ok. I'll take'm back to my Shop-"

"NO! I want him with ME!"

"Sheesh! Fine! But I don't recommend that course of action."

"I need him." Her tears flowed as waterfalls, "Please let him come with me."

"…Fine…"

"Ames, Tails! What happened?"

"Sonic!" Amy burst from the grass, "You're alive! You're alright-where did you go?"

"Man, I don't remember anything after that freako threw me over the jungle."

"Oh, I'm just so happy you're alright-and so's Sally and Cream-everyone's awake and well! This is the most perfect ending I could ever have wished for!"

"Metal Arnus is defeated?" Sonic grabbed both women in his protective arms, snuggling all their love and warmth in, "Was it Shadow?"

"Ya, he came right after you had been…thrown and used the Chaos Command! I couldn't believe seeing him so full of all that light. Whatever he commanded was carried out. The cities that were destroyed are fixed now because of him. Sally and all of you are well 'cuzz of him."

"But is he ok?"

"Tails says that his energy was totally zapped from the emerald but that after a few days of rest, he'll be fine."

Silently, Sonic broke away from the females, stopping in front of his near twin. "I guess you really weren't a faker after all, neither of us were. So alike yet so different all in one. Now I see what Amy has been admiring in you all these days. You're one heck of a friend and I hope you and I can… bond and stuff when you wake up." Solemn the moment was for Sonic, for showing emotion of that sort was something he had never learned to master. His words were only whispers in the wind-whispers of care and concern for the soundly-sleeping hedgehog lying at his feet, so helpless.


	9. Chapter Nine: Loved Once and Forever

Could this possibly be the CLIMAX-the ending-of my story? Yes, I totally believe it is! And guess WHAT? I've started on a short, one-chapter fantasy story called "The Violin Hillbilly Spin Dance", featuring Shadow and Amy Rose in a whacky- hillbilly dance! I needed to write something funny after this story-it's really zapped me and I STILL can't believe I was even to make one ounce of sense with this! Did I truly write this? Reviews, reviews I dare say!

-

Sonic, Shadow, etc- none of it belongs to me. They belong to SEGA. Remember that well.

-

**STORY TITLE: Just A Shadow In the World**

-

CHAPTER EIGHT: Loved Once and Forever

"You're as the moonbeams shining through the night. One with the clouds. The only love of my life, you're more perfect than all the sunshine." Amy sighed girlishly, again, for the tenth time. All was well in the world-especially Metropolis-ever since Shadow had destroyed Metal Arnus. No one had heard of Eggman since. She figured the old fart was off plotting his next world domination plan that would fail. Rouge and the Chaotix were off somewhere. Searching for the Master Emerald shards because in the last fight, the Master Emerald had shattered. Sonic and Tails were hanging out at Tails' workshop again and Cream and Big were playing in the streams of the Mystic Ruins lush jungle. Yes, life was back to normal. Violet and Jack were going to be by this afternoon and the only thing that could add to this perfection was Shadow waking up in time to go to the beach.

"You tried to hide your soul from me, but I saw you're hurt. I loved you like the sky clear I see, filled with stars of you." She rubbed his cheek affectionately. However long she had been sitting by his bed, she neither cared or worried. Every second, every toss, every expression that passed over his handsome face made her life alive with purpose. He was her purpose. "I leave in an hour. Wake up; you've been sleeping for a week now." No response. "Wake up, I say, this minute." Another gentle nudge. No response again.

"Ames, c'mon, gal! We're waiting for you" Violet laughed through the window"Hurry up or we'll leave without ya"

"Oh, oh" Amy pecked Shadow on the cheek"Perhaps you'll wake up later. You'll be safe here-just don't leave before I come back" Duffle bag: check; sun lotion, snacks, flops: check; straw hat, bathing suit: check. Good, she had everything she needed. "Here I come, hot sand and cold waves! Woo, hoo" A convertible full of her friends and their friends waited for her outside the complex. They were all laughing, having fun, joking, pulling at each other's hair and clothes, all the while motioning her joyously to join them in the back seat. The sun was a blazing hot ball steaming down through the clear sky-almost vertical rays.

"Took you long enough, Ames" Violet squeezed her girlfriend and bubbled over with laughter"To the beach, Jack"

"I always have to drive"

"Ya, 'cuzz you're the only one out of all of us who actually passed for a license! Ah, ha, ha, ha" Not so true but funny nevertheless.  
"Tsk, don't be such a tease, Vi."

One of Jack's friends, whom Amy had no clue as to his name or nature, poked her in the side"Yo, what's your name? Amy isn't it"

"Uh-ya, what's yours"

"Flame."  
"Interesting name." For the first time, Amy felt disgust at flirting with the opposite gender. She was taken-proud of the fact-and shifted in her seat to the other side of Violet. Shadow's face shot through her mind. Precious, loving Shadow, the only true love and her soul mate for life. Would he ever get tired of her? Surely his love for her was more than mere infatuation as hers had been for Sonic! No, Shadow was many years wiser than any of them, uneasily touchable, and the only emotions he showed were true and solid. She sighed sadly. _I wish Shadow could be with us. I'd so enjoy swimming with him in the waves. If only..._

"Look'n down, girl, care to tell me? I was so worried when you said that you couldn't go to the beach almost three weeks ago. What had happened-really? You can trust us all, I only make nice friends."

"Um...well...you see... it was...I ran into a hedgehog"

"What" Numerous friends exclaimed at once.

Amy groaned and turned up the dial: Jump5 - One and Only was blaring, heavy base, through the player. "Ok, how many of you know about the battle Sonic and I had against the Bio Lizard with that black hedgehog, Shadow a few years ago" She glanced at the few nodding, but mostly shaking heads and sighed again"Ok, so I ran into Shadow and... stuff happened between us since then."

"Stuff! What kind of stuff"

"You know how I used to think I loved Sonic"

"Pssh! Ya but you're mature and over that ages ago"

"I know... but since then, I-I..." She couldn't say it. They would laugh at her, tell her just because Shadow looked fifteen, he was truly her senior-all of theirs-by many years and that she was just crushing on another guy. "Shadow and I are friends now."

"That's great! How come he's not here"

"I left him to sleep for a while. He's been sleeping for a week now. Surely all of you know about the destruction that happened to this city a week ago, but do you know how the buildings came back and all the people came alive again? Shadow saved you all..." More emotion poured through her voice that she had wanted and everyone was gazing on her with new affection and respect, even those that she had never seen before.

"We would have been honored to have him come with us"

"Ya, I really had hoped he'd wake up but he didn't."

"Don't worry about it, he'll wake up soon"

-

Crowded as the beach always was on the weekends, Amy and her friends, plus new friends, had to force themselves to find a spot among all the messy patches of blankets and people who were lying all over the place. Amy felt that perhaps she shouldn't have bothered to even sway herself into thinking that today she might have had some fun. She could barely even step around people without almost hurting someone's leg or arm!

"I'm going to the water immediately. This is so jammed-more than I've seen in many months" Violet spread the blanket out far from the beach, baskets, three umbrellas, and six chairs"Who's with me"

"I'm coming" Amy interjected"Anything to get away from this heat"

"I think I'll stay here and watch the chicks" Jack slipped some hot shades over his eyes"I mean, us guys can talk and you cute girls and go have your own fun."

"Suit yourself." Violet smirked. Those two: they liked each other but Amy knew neither dared admit it. All those foolish games of guess or flirt-all of it was so immature to her, so alien now that all she'd been through had taught her the true definition to friendship and love. How stupid she had been. The events of the past two weeks would never fade from her memory. Shadow would never become just one of the people she had liked. He was forever only hers to love.

"Ames, is there something you'd want to let me know? I've neva' seen you so down like this b'for. I'm here if you need me."

"Perhaps I do need some cheering up. I didn't tell you much of what really went on with Shadow and I because it's way deeper than I publicly wanted to say..." She dunked and popped up. "Ah, the water feels so cool."  
"Ya, it does. Tell me, I'm here to listen and I promise I won't tell anyone."

"I know. I can trust you. Here goes" She took a deep breath"Shadow and I are in love."

"Woo! Girl! This is GREAT" Violet shook her crazy"When are you getting married"

"I-I-ahh! Put me down" She backed a space between them"I don't know; he hasn't done anything like that. We haven't even been on a real date unless you count fighting as romantic."

"Oh! Girl! I wish I could boast of your luck! Is" Lowering her voice to a whisper"Is this different than Sonic and you before"

**-Jump5 - Just A Dream-**

"Very different." A deep, smooth voice answered.

"Shadow! Oh, Shadow" Amy squealed with delight"When did you wake up! I didn't even hear you coming"

"No one would when I use Chaos Control." He tossed the wet emerald repeatedly"Mind to introduce me to your friend here"

"Yes, of course! This is Violet" She grabbed the purple squirrel to her side"And this is Shadow, Vi."

"Why didn't you tell me he was so sickeningly hot? I totally envy you."  
"Yes, I know, you should. Aha."

"Whaa"

Shadow smirked boyishly for once in his life and it was a sincere smirk of pleasure. "I think I want you all to myself for once. No people, no battles. Nothing. I just want you with me this time." His posture strained openly. This was going to be a deep discussion, Amy worried.

"I guess I'll swim with ya' laterz, Vi" He pulled her away through the splashing water, pasting herself to his chest. Violet openly rolled her eyes, jealously, before back-stroking the opposite direction towards a bunch of her friends.

"Did you want to talk about anything in particular, Shadow" Amy wrapped herself around him as the water deepened. Slowly, the voices, laughter, accusations of the swimmers died away. He was swimming to a remote area, a place where people ventured rarely, away from the shore and she gulped. "I can't swim very well."

"That's ok, I can hold you." He came to a stop"Besides, the Chaos Emerald will keep us afloat pretty well. I needed to talk to you about us."

"Us" Frightened, Amy clung harder"What about us"

"You know very well what I'm referring to, Amy Rose. You know I want to know if this can go a ways successfully between you and I."

"I believe it can" Between heartbeats"If you can. I love you passionately Shadow, I just don't know if you can love me back in the way I do since you've had so much confusion and sadness in your life. It's hard for you to find happiness, isn't it, with everything you've been through"

"Yes, mostly it is." He fingered a swirl of her wet hair"But I did find it with you. You're a special girl and I want you to know that I do love you the same way you love me. I want you to be mine but we can't be hasty about this.

Logic always had to spoil all the thrills of a crash romance, Amy thought, but Shadow knew best when it came to this sort of thing and she trusted him wholly. "I agree, if not reluctantly." He smiled close to her face at that humorous remark but she want on"What are you saying between the lines"

"I want... I want..." No, wanting wasn't right. Wishing was futile. Hoping wasn't logical. The something in his soul was filling but it wasn't yet to the top. The last time anything was necessary for him to survive was when Maria and he had been together on the ARK. Funny how, when things change, the objects he thought he needed, he did not, and what he felt he didn't require, was necessary. "I need you. Will you..."  
"Yes, I will." There was a long pause. Peaceful ripples of love passed by the couple. Shadow held her as close as he dared without damaging her fragile, tiny frame. His dreams the past week had been of soft lullabies, love, peace, joy-all those things that had evaded him for so long. Who would have known that the remedy would be a single hedgehog who forced herself rudely into his life? Well, Shadow was grateful for every ounce of stubbornness she held, every speck of self-will and independence.

Even now, Sonic hadn't truly betrayed him. Shadow realized their pat intentions were good and pure, but his will had not been. Selfish he had been but not anymore. People did things that their hearts couldn't understand. Not everything could be analyzed as he had once thought could. Most things weren't meant to be defragmented-love being one of those most mysterious elements. Like the wind, it could be felt, but not seen as any solid object. The rain would fall cold, but it came and went. Love stayed if true and real and everything about Amy was firm and founded.

"You're the true power that flows through my veins" He whispered near her mouth"No Chaos Emerald could pulse harder through me, with more passion, than when I kiss you." And he kissed her, alone, where no one could intrude on their perfect moment. Her lips were soft as the petals of deep, rich roses, pink and as a lily, full as the dewdrops on daisies, and more responsive than the wind blowing through their hair. It was the perfect fantasy ending for them, an ending nothing could spoil. A purpose in life is what they make of it and the future was still fresh. Whatever they wanted, they could work at, for nothing came free, not even love. And love was worth all the fights, ails, sicknesses, and trials that life had to offer.

-

**I had such a blast writing this story although, it is true, that I felt like some of the emotions and thoughts could have been more completely written! Things like this happen in stories and sometime in the future I will probably edit and enhance it! For now, I just want to thank the faithful readers who took the time to review and read this small fic. I hope I got the personalities correct-it's hard to write Shadow's emotions, but it was a total thrill to feature my favorite Sonic character and in such a way as this! Sonic used to be my favorite character until I played Sonic Heroes and I couldn't help but pity Shadow's life. I mean, it's once in a decade that ANY game company can create such an attaching character like Shadow! He's like so awesome and pathetic at the same time. My favorite thing about him is his wonderfully smooth voice. Dude, it's ultra-powerful. What's the saddest thing about him? Is it that he's not totally organic? MAN, I AM SO GONNA BUY ALL THE SHADOW COMICS (Archie).**

**Amy likes Sonic far too much in the games so I had to change it around. In a strange-and if you think so, deranged-way, Shadow and Amy just fit each other's molds. There's tons of stuff she could teach him. Who knows what stories I might write next. Perhaps a sequel with their kids? I don't even wanna think about it… I'm writing "The Violin Hillbilly Spin Dance". Look forwards for it soon, I just love writing. When I'm not writing, I wish I was and when I am, I'm am an ultra-critic on my phrases, sentences-just everything. Perhaps my harsh self-examination of my work helps me writing? Think so? I dunno..**


	10. Story Notes: Story Stats

**STORY STATS**

**QUICK VIEW**: This story was written early February 2005, by CHRISTINA ROBERTS about Shadow the Hedgehog and Amy Rose as the two main characters. Metal Arnus was created for this story by CHRISTINA ROBERTS and is not affiliated with SEGA.

**SUBMAIN CHARACTERS**: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Bunnie, Charmy, Rouge, Metal Arnus

**OTHER CHARACTERS**: Eggman, Antoine, Vector, Espio, Cream, Big

**VILLANS**: Eggman, Metal Arnus

**QUICK STORY PLOT**: Shadow is being tracked down by Eggman who wants to use his abilities to conquor the world. One day Amy almost kills him by crashing into him in her car, thus taking him under her wing. They form a romantic love for each other as the story goes on. Shadow ends up saving the world from Eggman's newest, most lethal robitic villan called Metal Arnus. There's also an eighth Chaos Emerald that has as much power as the seven known Chaos Emeralds combined. The strange thing about this emerald is that it cannot share it's power with the other seven, but is totally independant. With the emerald, Shadow can use Chaos Command, but only after Eggman injects him with the needed cell types to make him "compatible" with the strange power of the emerald. Sonic is engaged to Sally Acorn and Amy has been living on her own for quite some time. She's around fifteen in this story, everyone else being three years older as well.

**MUSIC USED IN THIS STORY**:

Amy Grant - Simple Things

Jars of Clay - Beautiful

Jennifer Knap: Free

Jump5 - One and Only

Jump5 - Just A Dream

Jump5 - You Are In My Heart

Larue - I See You

Michelle Tumes - With the Angels

Rachael Lampa: You Lift Me Up

Sonic Heroes: Dark Theme

Toby Mac - Gone

True Vibe - What Do We Wish On Now?


End file.
